Fooled Heart
by PaisleyRose
Summary: When under attack, Sarah and her neighbor find themselves without an escape. Sarah wishes them into the Underground. How will the Goblin King feel about being invaded? Even if it is by Sarah Williams? Just my muse going off on a path again
1. Chapter 1

_**Fooled Heart**_

_**By**_

_**Paisley Rose**_

_**Disclaimer**_

_**I don't own it,**_

_**Never did.**_

_**I don't get paid for this**_

_**Never will.**_

_**I do it for love.**_

_**(did I say that right, Sire?)**_

_**Prologue**_

_**Author's Note:**_

_**Our Prologue is taken from the Novel**_

_**By A.C.Smith…. **_

_**"Stop!" Jareth raised the palm of his hand to her. "Wait! Sarah, look-- look what I can offer you." He raised his left arm and made a**____**large gesture with his hand. A glowing crystal ball appeared in it.**____**He spun it around in his fingers, smiled wanly, and said, "It will**____**show you your dreams. You remember." **_

_**Sarah took another step. **_

_**"-- and my kingdom as great --" **_

_**"She's going to say the words," gabbled another, agitatedly. **_

_**The stairs behind Jareth were descending now, and he backed slowly down them as Sarah stood above him. "I ask so little," he said, spinning the crystal. "Just believe in me, and you can have everything you want ... everything you have ever dreamed of ... your dreams, Sarah ..." **_

_**She was frowning, and had halted her advance. "... and my kingdom as**_

_**great ...," she said. "Damn!" **__**Sarah's fists were clenched white. She was thinking frantically. What were her right words? **_

_**Jareth took a step toward her. He needed her belief in him. "Just fear me and love me," he told her in a gentle voice, "and do as I say, and I ... I will be your slave." He stretched his hand out toward her, and took another step back up the stairs. **_

**Chapter 1. Same play, new players**

If anyone lived an enchanted life, it would be Sarah Williams. She had what most of her classmates considered to be the perfect life. Her mother was the up and rising stage star, Linda Williams, and her father was the much-admired and renowned legal wizard, Robert Williams. She lived in a beautiful Victorian manor house on the edge of town, with her father, stepmother and baby brother.

What most people including her friends didn't see was that Sarah Williams had beaten the Goblin King at his own twisted games and won back the child she'd wished away. In doing that she'd gained enough courage to change her life, turn it around. She'd gone from a loner in her freshman year to a very popular girl by the end of her sophomore year. She was a member of the debate team, and had even taken up chess. She was a favorite among the teachers and if there was a part in a play that she wanted, she got it. Everything she touched turned to gold, or so it would seem. By the end of the summer before her senior year, the only thing that Sarah Williams seemed to be lacking was a steady boyfriend. That was about to change…

It was the last weekend before school was to start up again, Sarah and Katie watched their younger siblings playing in the sand at the beach. Katie was a year younger than Sarah and therefore a year behind her in school. However Sarah found the younger girl to be a better companion than most of her classmates, and far less eager to judge Sarah. Kate's father had been in the military and she'd spent most of her childhood trailing around from base to base. Outside of family, books were the best friends that Katie had. When the Langford moved into the house down the block from the Williams, Katie was thrilled to learn she had a fellow reader so near by.

They sat side by side, dressed in old cut off jeans and halter tops, flip flop sandals and raged straw hats. Each girl had an icy bottle of soda in her hand as they talked and watched the kids build sand castles. Katie was in charge of her two younger siblings, twins Peter and Paul. Sarah was watching the now nearly four year old Toby. The three little boys, pail and shovels in hand, were working hard on a castle. Each time it got to a certain point, Toby would shake his head, and scoop parts away complaining that it was not right.

"So tell me about the High School again," Katie urged. The Langford's had moved into the house down the block at the beginning of the summer, and this was going to be the first year Katie was not in a base school. Her excitement was understandable, but she only showed it to Sarah.

"Katie, I've told you over and over, you've got nothing to worry about. You're bright, you're funny and you're a cute girl…You've lived all over the world! Going to High School is going to be a snap for you!" The older girl said good naturedly.

"I'm just glad you're going to be there with the first day," Katie confessed placing a hand to where butterflies danced within her tummy. "I'm so nervous."

Green eyes that had seen more frightening things than a High School filled with kindness and comfort toward the younger girl. She distracted her by pointing toward the ongoing building that had not ceased in the entire time they'd been here at the nearly deserted beach. "Will you look at that," she teased. "They can't agree on anything!"

"No, no, no" Toby chided his playmates. "It has a tower here!" He began to plump sand at the edge of the lopsided building.

Katie looked at Toby's addition, and smiled. "He seems to know his own mind, doesn't he?" Sarah nodded in agreement, and Katie looked at her new best friend. "I'm sorry, Sarah. I'm just so nervous about this," she explained.

Reaching out a hand to the younger girl, Sarah nodded again. "I promise you, I won't let anything happen to you." She tugged the fingers that were resting in hers. "When we get home, I'll help you pick out the right clothes, and we'll plan the first day. At least we both have the same lunch and I can help you get around the school."

"I'd be lost if not for you Sarah," Katie sighed.

--

Robert looked at the car pulling into the drive way, a smile on his lips. "Karen, they're home!" he called from the porch where he was seated reading the paper.

Karen Williams, Robert's second wife joined him on the porch, she smiled at her stepdaughter and the rest of the children who piled out of the second hand car Robert had gotten his daughter. Toby came running up to his mother crowing about the fine castle he'd built. She watched him sake and sand came spilling off his body and out of his shoes and the hat she'd insisted he wear to the beach to protect his fair head. "Toby, I do believe there's more sand on you than you left behind!"

Robert dusted stray bits of sand from his paper. He looked at Sarah who was helping Katie remove beach things from the back of the car. "Sarah, Peggy called. She said to remind you that there's a mixer on Friday evening, and that you're on the welcoming committee." He stuck the stem of his pipe back in between his teeth and drew on it as he looked back to his paper.

The girl with long chocolate locks of thick hair leaned on the car, "I know," she moaned, tempted to say 'I wish', but fought the urge valiantly. She looked at Katie and smiled, "I'll be over after dinner to help you with that outfit, and we'll go over the map of the school again." Katie herded the twins back to their own house and waved good bye. Sarah looked at her father, sitting nonchalantly on the porch. "Daddy," she asked thoughtfully; "May I drive my car to school?"

Looking up and over his paper at the girl, the man shrugged. "If you do there's going to be little chance of any young man asking to drive you home, Sarah."

Coming to stand on the porch, the girl leaned against the railing. "That suits me just fine." Crossing her arms over her chest she frowned. "I'm really not up to the silly games of school boys."

Robert tossed his paper aside, looked at his daughter and sighed. "Sarah, not every match is going to be froth with the kind of turmoil that your mother and I had," he warned. "You should have dates," his words echoed those of Karen's only a few years earlier.

"Fine," Sarah said coyly. "Arrange for me to go out with Allen Rickman or Bruce Willis and I'll be happy to date." Sputtering with laughter, her father informed her that the two men were too old for her. "I happen to prefer mature men," she teased back on her way into the house.

--

Katie looked at the clothes in her closet, and again worried that things were not fashionable enough for the new life she was embarking upon. She was thrilled to hear her mother call up that Sarah was there. She ran out into the hall and looked over the banister, "Come on up!" she shouted excitedly. "I'm in the middle of a fashion crisis!"

Sarah laughed as she took the stairs two at a time before reaching her friend. "Let's see," she tucked her arm into Katie's.

Katie Langford's room was typical of any teen girl's room. Posters of the latest teen heart throbs, stuffed toys tossed over the bed with pillows, knickknacks from all the places she'd traveled, and a stereo playing the latest tunes up a bit too loudly. The walls were a pleasant cool soft green, like sage, color. The furnishings were well made and sturdy, and the bed was comfortable and big enough for both girls to sit on comfortably. It was a very pleasant room.

Katie moved to her closet door. "I just don't know what to wear," she insisted. "If I were on base there'd be no problem!"

"What would you wear?" Sarah asked, wanting to see where her friend's thoughts were.

Reaching into the closet, the girl pulled out a casual but acceptable skirt and sweater. "This."

"I like that," the other girl insisted as she looked at the outfit being held up by the Langford girl. "In fact I think that's a great outfit."

"But will it do, will it make the right impression?" fretted the younger girl.

A slow smile formed on Sarah's lips. "Katie, you have great taste, and wonderful clothes. Trust yourself." She leaned back on her friend's bed.

Doubt was still written on the other girl's face. "Sarah, this is not the same as going to a base school… on base we only had each other to rely on… Here…I'm like a fish out of water."

"Daddy says I can drive to school," Sarah said firmly. "So you and I are going to car pool."

"That makes sense," Katie held the outfit tightly as she took a seat on the bed. "But I don't want to get in your way…"

--

Sarah stood beside the car waiting for Katie, who was rushing off her own porch having been smothered in kisses by her mother. A pang of envy raced through Sarah for a moment, before she turned to wave to Karen and Toby on the porch of her home. Karen may not have been her mother by blood, but she did feel love for Sarah, and now Sarah was ready and willing to accept that love. Karen was not Linda; no one was or ever could be Linda. But Karen did care about Sarah, even when Sarah had not been very pleasant to her. Still, Katie had something that Sarah envied down to her soul, her own mother to kiss her good bye and wish her well.

Katie saw the look on Sarah's face and hesitated. "Is something wrong?" she asked as she neared the car.

"No," Sarah said yanking the driver's door open. "I'm just envying you."

The honesty struck Katie, "You envy me?"

Waiting until the passenger was seated and belted in Sarah nodded. "Sure, you have a mom."

"So do you," Katie said pointing toward Karen on the porch.

"Karen's great, but she's not my mom." Sarah sighed as she started the engine. "Okay," she dismissed any more feelings of envy for the excitement that was ahead of them. "Ready? Off we go."

--

When Sarah found Katie at lunch time, they took seats beneath on old oak to eat the lunches they'd brought with them. Katie was going on and on about her adventures and how she'd gotten lost having taken a wrong turn. Sarah laughed and listened, and gave her friend encouragement.

Across the commons a group of boys were gathered and one was watching the two girls. "Who's that?" he asked and pointed to Sarah.

"That's Sarah Williams, popular but icy," the answer came.

Cold blue eyes hardened. "Who does she go with?"

Thomas Miller looked over his shoulder to where Josh Morgan was looking. "Forget it," he advised soundly. "Even if she had a boyfriend you wouldn't want to chance it with that one."

Josh looked more than interested now. "Why not?"

David Courtney snorted. "Bad things happen to those who wish that one ill," he sounded cryptic.

The other boy, Josh noted that no one was laughing. "OH come on, you bunch sound… superstitious!" He looked at Sarah, and saw nothing more than a pretty girl. "She's just a girl."

"Sarah Williams may be many things," David growled. "But just a girl is not one of them. There's something really weird about her," he still smarted from the rebuffing he'd received last year. "And I mean more than just her mom being some stupid actress… There's something… unnatural about Sarah."

Looking at his companions with a clear cut feeling of having been given a fish story, Josh laughed. "She's just a girl…." He snorted. "And I'll bet I can get her by homecoming."

Thomas looked horrified, "Josh, no!"

Emboldened by the looks of awe from the others Josh went on. "I'll not only date her, but I'll get her in the sack!"

"Oh now that I'd love to see," David quipped nastily.

Thomas felt a knot gathering in the pit of his stomach. "You're all out of your minds… have you forgotten what happened to Ben when he pestered her?"

"Coincidence!" David quipped.

Josh leaned back against the stone wall, looking at the prey. "I'll not only bag the little bitch, but I'll share her will all of you afterward." The group of boys laughed.

--

Sarah exited her last class, discussing the teacher's first assignment with a fellow classmate, Peggy. She was exchanging notes they'd both taken, as they headed toward Sarah's locker. "I'm going to really like this class," she was saying.

Josh grabbed David's arm. "Introduce me," he instructed.

David nodded and called out. "Hey Sarah, Sarah Williams." He pulled Josh along as they rushed to where the girl stood. "Sarah how are you?"

Sarah looked at the pair, a bit surprised. She was not really on friendly terms with David Courtney, and she didn't know this other at all. "I'm fine… David."

"Sarah, this is Josh Morgan, Josh this is Sarah Williams. Sarah, Josh is new here, transferred in from a school in California." David said generally.

Josh looked at her, giving her a winning smile. "Hello Sarah… any relation to Linda Williams?"

"She's my mother," the girl answered cautiously.

The boy with blond hair and blue eyes nodded, "I saw her in a play a year ago…" he explained.

Sarah felt the hair on the back of her neck raise, but she ignored it for the moment. "She does a lot of stage work, but I don't remember her doing any plays in the west last year."

"Oh we were in New York visiting… she was in some theater off the beaten path." Josh said easily. "You planning on following in her footsteps?" He moved closer, trying to make the meeting a bit more intimate.

Shaking her head, Sarah found herself stepping back a pace. "No, I'm not."

"Pity," he said quietly.

The word startled Sarah and she cleared her throat, made an excuse and moved away from the boys.

"That went well," David's voice dripped sarcasm.

"Just breaking ice," Josh insisted. "Wait until the mixer…."

Sarah was still shaking when she arrived at her car, and Katie was nowhere to be seen. Sitting in the drivers' seat, the girl with green eyes wondered why it was that young man made her want to take a bath in the Bog of Stench! When Katie finally arrived, Sarah was calm enough to drive home.

--

After a week of classes and getting settled into the new schedule, both Sarah and Katie were glad that the night of the mixer had at long last arrived. The drove over to the school in Sarah's little second hand car and joined in the fun of dancing and mixing.

Josh came over to where Sarah was standing talking to a group of girls. He asked her to dance, and led her to the floor with confidence. He pulled her into his arms and sang the words of the popular song into her ear in a soft crooning tone. By the end of the dance, Sarah seemed far more relaxed in his presence. When the girls headed toward the exit, Josh halted Sarah asking if he could call on her over the weekend. Katie looked a bit worried, but as Sarah said he could call, she said nothing of the qualms she was having.

By Monday morning the word had spread, Sarah Williams had a boyfriend.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2. Have you seen her**

Tapping his well worn boot with his riding crop, Jareth listened to the incessant complaints of his subjects. He found he had more and more time on his hands to do so as fewer and fewer children seemed to be wished away. He looked over at the little goblin complaining about the rocks that still littered the town's curved and winding streets. "Yes, yes," he nodded. "I'll have something done about it."

He had been spending more time in the great throne room, hearing the needs of his subjects over the past nearly three years. Ever since the time _**the girl**_ had visited the Kingdom, he was working at improving his lot in life. No one spoke her name, not in his presences, not that he'd requested the ban on her name, they just didn't speak her name. The only time he heard her name was when he was alone in the puzzle room of stairs and whispered it himself. He lounged in lazy elegance upon the massive throne, listening, and judging, and plotting. For two years he had been plotting, he was going to find a means by which to bring back that mortal wench if it was the last thing he ever did. Call his Labyrinth a piece of cake, would she? He found that he had once more lapsed into thinking of her instead of paying attention to the court.

From the moment he had returned from her world it had been thus. He had spent the first few days after she'd returned to her world sulking over his loss. He had spent hours on end in the ruins of the stair room before he used magic to draw it back together. He refused the company of fellow Fae, and even refused the company of Goblins. The pain he was experiencing was not something he could share, and so he kept it to himself. Just as he went over and over each move made during the running of the Labyrinth. He still could not believe the girl had resisted him, that she in fact blamed him for the fact that her brother was in Goblin hands. He had given her every chance to back out of the challenge with grace, or so he thought. He had been charming, and even attentive, and had seen to it she had a companion on her journey. Of course the companion was not supposed to plot against his King. He had given her a taste of her dreams, and had tasted her dreams himself as well. Time and again, he'd go back in his mind to that ballroom. To the moment she was in his arms, as he sang to her, held her, and swept her off her feet. For the briefest of moments, it had seemed she would forget everything. It was that moment that something happened he had not planned; it was in that moment he lost his heart to her. Completely and utterly, he had lost his heart only to have the gawking stares of his courtiers frighten the girl. Had they but stayed back, had they but left them alone for a moment, the bond would have been completed and the Girl would be there now giving him comfort. A voice that was like a constant buzzing drone drew him back to the throne room and business at hand.

Hoggle stood peering in from behind the entryway, not sure he really wanted to see the King. They had kept out of each others way for the last two years or so, and Hoggle would have preferred to keep it that way. He was sure the sight of him was a sting the King was not in the mood for, and he was not sure how the King would react. Right after Sarah had left the King had gone quiet, too quiet. Then he'd began making demands, and giving orders that were impossible to follow or complete. He'd taken the toughest measures with the three who others were calling the King's traitors. Sir Didymus was now doing guard duty at a far end of the Kingdom, where no one ever came to. Ludo had been sent to the forest and banished from the King's gardens, and was alone with only his rocks for company. Hoggle had thought the King would give him duty in a part of the Labyrinth that was remote, but instead he left the dwarf where he was, and ordered him to count the swam Fairies that gathered at the gate, the task that was becoming impossible. And for the first time in two years, the dwarf was going to tell the King just that.

The Chancellor, a tall goblin with long flowing hair, tapped his staff on the stone floor and announced the Dwarf's name. "Hoggle, Gate Keeper and Gardener, seeks audience."

The riding crop slipped from the fingers of the King who seemed to go frozen for a moment. The lips thinned, the eyes hardened and his breath for a long moment paused. "Oh really?" the sarcasm of old had returned, full force. "Well, unless he's completed the tasks I've given him, I have no time." Snapping his fingers the riding crop rose and returned to his gloved hand.

Hoggle knew that he should pull back, run back to his hovel and hide, but his time with _**the Girl**_ had caused him to change. "No one can complete the tasks you're giving out!" he accused as he moved into the throne room uninvited, his hand pointing at the King accusingly.

Jareth looked at the dwarf, "Hello Higgle," he drawled.

"Hoggle!" the Dwarf screamed back.

"Hogs brain," Jareth lowered his legs from the arm rail of the throne to the steps of the dais it sat on. He looked at the dwarf with a look that should have turned the little man into a mass of quivering jelly. Instead the Dwarf looked… pissed.

The Dwarf wondered why it was he was not throwing himself at the King begging for mercy. "You know that no one can complete the tasks!"

"Oh don't like the assignment given you? Perhaps another would be to your liking, say cleaning the rocks from the town square." Jareth drawled slowly.

Hoggle moved toward the throne, "I can't clean up all the rocks!"

Jareth snickered, "Then get help."

"How, you sent Ludo to the heart of the forest, he's the only one who has the ability to send the rocks back to where they came from." Hoggle argued.

Taken aback that the dwarf would speak this way to him, Jareth reached out his hand and grabbed the gatekeeper by the vest and yanked him toward his own face. "What did you just say?"

Hoggle pressed his own face into the Kings. "You heard me."

Goblins, gnomes, elves and others in the throne room held their breaths. They all knew the confrontation between the King and his Gatekeeper had been building. Never on friendly terms as it was, but after the…girl… things had gone from bad to worse between them.

Jareth sensed the tensions in the room, and looking at the eyes of the dwarf found himself snickering. "I see," he mused as he pushed the dwarf back down the dais stair. "Fine, go and find the beastie and get him to clear out the rocks."

Staggering and trying to keep his footing, Hoggle stared at the King. "You want me to do what?"

"Find this… Ludo and get him to pick up his rocks." Jareth said quietly, he waved the little dwarf off thinking that was an end to two problems.

Hoggle didn't move, he stood rooted to the spot and staring. "Are you feeling well?"

Feeling, mused the King, am I feeling….

The dwarf looked at the throne room, it was different. Yes it was still filled with Goblins and others who made this Kingdom their home. But it was not as…cluttered as it had been in the past. It was not clean, by any means, but it was not as cluttered. The man sitting on the throne was different too, he was….reflective. "Sire, could we not also bring back Sir Didymus?" There was no harm in asking, as it seemed the King was in a generous mood.

The name of the little knight caused Jareth a twinge of guilt. He had followed the olde Code, had lived by it for eons. His first duty was to the code, and Jareth knew it. If anyone were to blame for the actions of the Knight it would be the King himself. He was the one who sent Sarah and Hoggle crashing toward the bog. Sighing deeply, the King nodded. "Yes, you may send for Sir Didymus and have him brought back to this part of the Kingdom." He leaned forward. "Hoggle, have you seen her?" He asked at long last. There was an audible gasp from some of the spectators in the throne room.

"Seen her?" Hoggle juggled in his mind how to get out of this one. "Seen who?"

"Sarah," the name came out of the King's mouth like a caress.

The dwarf fidgeted, "You told us we could not go to see her," he reminded the King gently.

"As if that would stop you," mused the sad Fae.

"You said you'd dip us all in the bog…and then you sent us to the far reaches of the Kingdom," Hoggle replied.

"Have you seen her?" Jareth repeated, this time his voice was pained. Hoggle nodded, guiltily. "Is she…well?" the words were whispered.

"She's…well enough." Hoggle scratched his head, not sure how to continue. "She's changing…. She ain't called us in…months."

"Has she forgotten us?" Jareth's eyes were watery, he looked on the verge of surrendering to the tears.

Hoggle shook his head, "No, sire." He moved closer. "But she's… growing up. And has new things in her life."

Standing up, the King moved down the dais and over toward the window he'd sent orb out of that carried a part of Sarah's dreams. He looked toward the woods where she'd been wandering when Hoggle had given her the King's little gift, a tainted peach. Jareth sighed. "Growing up…new things…" He closed his eyes and felt his heart break anew; "How do you see her if she does not call you?"

"Through her mirror," admitted the Dwarf moving closer to the pained Fae male. "Sire, don't you… see her?"

Jareth leaned on the sill of the window and thought about the question. "I haven't tried," he said at long last. "I have my pride, Hoggle."

"Pride, sire?"

"She refused me, and then when the game was over she invited all of you into her chamber to celebrate… everyone…save for me." He rasped. He looked down at the little man at his side. "A man has his pride."

"You have not looked at her once?" Hoggle could not image not seeing the girl.

Mismatched eyes, like storms at sea, gazed off into the distance. "I still see her gliding about the ballroom," he mused; "A vision in white." He shook off the melancholy. "Tell me of how she's changed."

"She cut her hair," Hoggle said thinking of the thing that would be the least hurtful. When the King made a face, Hoggle added. "Not a lot, but it's not at her shoulder, instead of beyond. It looks very nice….didn't realize it had so much wave to it…" The dwarf snickered, thinking of the way Sarah wore her hair now, and of how grown up it made her appear.

"Is she happy?" Jareth asked.

"Seems to be," nodded the little man. "She's happier with her lot in life, and far less eager to blame others around her for her mistakes… even takes pleasure in spending time with the tyke."

"Toby," mused the King letting the breeze from the window bath his face. "How is the boy?"

"Growing, like all mortal children do," answered the dwarf attentively. "You've not looked in on him, either?"

Shaking his head, the King pursed his lips. "It seemed futile."

Hoggle watched, and assessed. "You miss them," he gasped.

Jareth looked out the window. "Yes, Hoggle….I do."

For a moment Hoggle pitied the King.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3. Too good to be true**

When the news reached Sarah, she was speechless. Josh had it spread all over the school that he was Sarah's new boyfriend. Millie and Pam were the first to come racing over to Sarah on Monday morning, dressed in their PE uniforms and with excited expressions painted on their faces. Millie wanted details, and Pam just wanted to be seen with Sarah who was popular. Sarah listened to the pair gush, and kept her temper in check. She wondered how anyone could go from asking if they could call, which he didn't, to being the proclaimed boyfriend in the matter of just days. It was beginning to rail her.

"Millie, who told you that Josh Morgan is my boyfriend?" She asked at long last.

"Why everyone's been talking about it," Pam interrupted, "Ever since you danced with him at the mixer."

Sarah finished buttoning her uniform blouse, and huffed. "I see."

Millie hugged her and smiled. "Oh Sarah, you're so lucky!" she prattled on happily. "You're so smart, and pretty, and now you've got the most handsome guy in school!"

Lucky is not what Sarah felt, what she felt was an overwhelming sense of being railroaded. "Thanks, Millie, but class is going to start." She pointed to the instructor who was awaiting them. Once Millie and Pam had rushed off to their stations, Sarah put the incident out of her mind to concentrate on Class. She'd fix this mess after she found out where the rumor got started. She had a sinking feeling she knew the source, Josh Morgan.

Once the PE class was over, and she'd dressed again, Sarah headed out to the hall to look for anyone who she felt could tell her where Josh was. It didn't take her long to find that everyone she spoke to was thrilled to hear she was dating the handsome newcomer. By the time she found Katie at lunch, she was fuming. Katie rushed over to her and the look on her face told Sarah that she too had heard the rumors. Holding up a hand Sarah stayed off the questions. "No, I'm not." She said firmly. "I have no idea of where he got it in his head to start this mess."

Katie sat down under the oak and handed Sarah a sandwich. "What are you going to do? This is the kind of thing where a lie can become the truth…." Sarah looked at the younger girl questioningly. "You told him he could call on you… he's just setting it up so you're… trapped."

A glint entered the green eyes. "Bigger and better than Josh Morgan have tried." She bit viciously into her sandwich.

Shrugging, Katie warned. "Don't underestimate him."

--

For the rest of the day, Sarah tried like a demon to find Josh, only to be greeted by congratulations by friends and acquaintances. By the time she met Katie at the car, she was fuming mad. Putting all her concentration into driving, they made it home safe and sound. But the moment Sarah got out of her car she sent her books flying across the lawn and let out a blood curdling shriek. Katie stood rooted to the spot, horrified.

Karen had come racing out the door, and for a moment stood speechless on the porch until the tirade was over. She cleared her throat, and said. "Sarah, there's some boy by the name of Josh on the phone for you."

Turning with eyes that shot green fiery flames, Sarah marched across the lawn, up the porch and into the house. She stood in the foyer gathering her thoughts as she picked up the receiver and spoke tersely into it. "Hello?"

"Hi doll," said the voice on the other end.

"I'm not your doll, Mr. Morgan." She addressed the young man formally. "And I don't appreciate your spreading rumors about me."

Karen had just entered the foyer, Katie at her side. She turned to the girl and whispered, "What rumors?"

"He's telling everyone he's Sarah's boyfriend." Katie whispered back.

Josh laughed lightly. "Oh come on, it's gonna happen."

"In your dreams," Sarah barked before slamming the phone back on the cradle. Turning to her bewildered Stepmother, she said tightly. "I'm not at home to him." She took the books Katie had picked up and was holding for her. "We've got homework, and we don't wish to be disturbed please." She said in a more controlled and polite tone.

Karen looked down at the phone with a frown. "I understand," she smiled at her stepdaughter before the girl moved up the stairs. "Would you like some refreshments?"

"Maybe later," Sarah answered as they headed up the stairs toward her room.

--

David looked at Josh who was swearing lightly under his breath. "I warned you… she's not an easy mark."

"Little stuck up bitch, who does she think she is?" Josh hung up the phone and picked up his bottle of soda to take a seat beside the buddies he was now spending all his free time with. "She'll come around… they all do." His confidence was coming back, or at least his boasting was.

Thomas shook his head, "I don't think so." He was remembering what had happened to Ben when he'd messed with the girl. "And you'd better hope she does not take offense at your… attention."

Josh snorted, "You sound concerned."

"I am," Thomas said quietly. "I am."

--

Sarah and Katie worked on the assignments given that day in school, but Sarah could not for the life of her get over the feeling that she was being watched. She could not place where or how, but she knew she was being watched.

A myriad of little eyes watched from every corner of the room, she belonged to them and they would keep her safe and sound, even if she had not asked for assistance. Every time she spoke they held their breaths, letting them out in unheard hisses, on tenterhooks that the next words out of her mouth would be the right words.

Katie frowned, "I don't get it," she handed the book to Sarah and pointed to the passage giving her trouble.

Reading the passage over, Sarah nodded. "I had trouble with this one too…" she pulled open a draw and took out a note book. Under the note book was a red leather bound book with gold lettering.

"What's that?" Katie asked.

The leather book caught Sarah's attention and she blanched. "What is that doing there?" she asked aloud, pulling away from the desk as if the draw contained a snake or some other dangerous critter. She looked around the room, needing to see if anything else was out of place.

"What is it?" Katie asked suddenly worried.

Looking at the younger girl, Sarah took a long deep breath, calmed herself and then smiled. "It's nothing…" _**'Nothing, nothing tra la la la?'**_ a voice from the past echoed in her mind and for a moment Sarah could see him. Standing there in the tunnel his arm up over her head as he leaned on the wall of stone behind her; as he gazed at her with those wonderful eyes. _**Him**_, looking more handsome, more regal, more powerful than any male she'd ever met or would ever meet. _**Him**_…. Smelling of spices and magic… _**Him**_, the one man who was the very embodiment of everything she held dear…. _**HIM!!**_

Katie moved closer, looked at the desk drawer and the book it contained. "Is that something you didn't want in there?"

Fingers reached delicately for the leather book, shaking slightly as they touched the little book that at one time had been her most beloved companion. The book that had given her the right words that led her to him. "It's something I thought I'd put away a long time ago." Sarah explained.

Looking at the gold lettering, Katie mouthed the title but didn't speak it. "I don't think I've ever heard that story," she murmured.

"Few have," Sarah held it to her heart, remembering. "I'll have to tell you it someday…"

"I'd like to hear it," her friend confided.

Placing the book back in the drawer, Sarah handed the note book to Katie. "These notes will help you with that course." She chose to close the subject of the book altogether for now. Glancing over the written pages, the younger girl nodded.

--

Sarah didn't sleep well that night, the eyes watching saw her toss and turn and wondered if there was anything they could do to help…

The girl in the bed had restless dreams, dreams of entrapment, and dreams of terror. She was running, running in the park, not to the obelisk but away from something. Over the bridge she ran, into the glen of the obelisk, tripping and falling at its base. Looking back she saw a large band of young men running toward her shouting and taunting. Pulling her self up, she cried out. "Goblin King, Goblin King where ever you may be…. Come quickly… save me…" Sarah awoke with a start, bathed in sweat. Where the hell did that come from?

--

Jareth sat up in his bed, bathed in beads of sweat. Had he just heard Sarah call out to him? Or had he dreamt it? His heart was pounding, just as it had the first time he had seen the girl. Now deep in his soul, he was sure… he would see Sarah again… and soon.

--

Katie was standing by the car when Sarah left her house the next morning. "You look awful," she said with concern written on her pretty face. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Nightmares," was the only thing Sarah would say on the subject as she entered her car. "I did warn you Mr. Markham likes to pull pop quizzes didn't I?"

Nodding Katie knew the subject had been changed, and didn't press for more information. "It looks like we're in for a storm," she commented looking at the gathering clouds. "How about taking our lunch in the botanical garden?"

Sarah nodded, "That would be fine."

Leaning back and looking at the landscape that was rushing past as they drove on, Katie relaxed. Sarah was an excellent driver, and no matter what had been disturbing her before she got behind the wheel, she was keeping her mind on the road and traffic. As they pulled into the parking lot for the students, Katie noticed a group gathering on the steps of the school. "I wonder what's going on." She said as she craned her neck to see.

"Some teen drama," sighed Sarah. "Has nothing to do with us." She assured her friend and companion. "Let's get past this crowd and into the building. It looks like it's going to pour any moment now."

The storm in the sky was not the only storm. The group on the stairs were in a stated of heightened excitement, and when one of the girls in the throng of people spotted Sarah, she shouted. "There she is!"

The crowd parted and a tall girl with long copper locks came half way down the stairs to confront Sarah. Sarah recognized the girl; it was Marjorie Gipson, one of the most popular girls in the senior class. She was not happy, and the way she was glaring at Sarah told the other girl she was the target. Sarah braced herself for trouble. "Marjorie," she greeted the fuming red head quietly.

Hands clenched at her side, Marjorie took a long breath. "You could have warned me Sarah." Her voice was shaking with emotion and with anger. "You could have given me warning!"

Sarah raised one hand, and the crowd behind the red haired girl hushed; "Of what?"

Anger on the face of the girl fuming dropped for a moment, dissolving into confusion. "What do you mean of what?" she handed something to Sarah. "This…"

Reading the flyer, Sarah's face went stony; she looked from the flyer to the other girl. "I didn't do this!" she crumpled up the paper. "I don't want to be homecoming Queen! You want it and you deserve it."

Marjorie looked taken aback. "Sarah these are up all over the school!" she declared breathlessly. "I can't compete against you! You're one of the most popular girls in the school…."

"For the love of God, I don't want to be Queen… not Homecoming, not Prom!" Green eyes flashed at the crowd. "Who did this?"

"Josh," whispered Katie who was looking at the flyer in one of the hands of the crowd.

The answer to the question didn't make Sarah any happier. "That son of a bitch!" she muttered as she pressed her way past the crowd and up the rest of the stairs to the school. She marched past throngs of well wishers to the offices of the admissions and the administration for the school. Moments later the PA system beeped and Sarah's voice boomed. "This is Sarah Williams, I didn't start this campaign to become Homecoming Queen… and I will refuse the crown! So don't waste your votes on me, Vote for Marjorie Gipson, the girl who deserves to be Queen…. Thank you… oh and Josh Morgan, I wouldn't date you if you were the last boy on Earth!"

Marjorie turned to Katie, "Did she just break up with Josh because of me?"

Katie shook her head, and didn't even try to explain.

--

Thomas watched as the Williams girl ripped down the poster that bore her image. He saw her fury, and was worried about himself. He began to think distancing himself from the braggart Josh might be a wise idea.

--

Karen heard the car pull in and came to meet the girls on the porch. One look at Sarah's features told her things had not gone well. Katie handed her the flyer, and Karen sighed deeply. "Who's idea was this?"

"Josh Morgan," Sarah snapped. "He's telling everyone he's my boyfriend, and now he's mounting a campaign to force me into this stupid role of homecoming Queen" she took a deep breath. "If he calls…."

"You're not in," Karen nodded, understanding her stepdaughter's feelings.

--

No matter what Sarah did, she could not make her wishes to be left alone be accepted. She didn't want to be nominated for Homecoming Queen. She didn't want Josh Morgan for a boyfriend. She just wanted to be left alone.

Two weeks into the campaign, Sarah was in the park with Katie and the three little boys. The only peace Sarah was finding was when she was with Katie and the boys. They moved slowly pushing the strollers over the little stone bridge over a spring fed pond where white swans swam peacefully. The wind picked up for a moment and Sarah looked to the skies, hopefully. Katie saw the expression on Sarah's face, and wondered what it was her friend was looking for.

Sarah moved to the benches that were near the obelisk, and parked her brother's stroller before taking a seat. Her face looked melancholy, as Katie took her seat beside her. Looking as if she had lost her best friend, Sarah opened the shoulder bag she had slung over her. From the depths of the leather bag she pulled out the book that Katie had seen in her drawer in Sarah's bedroom. Gingerly she placed the red leather bound book on her lap, her lips thinned and she looked resolute. "Katie, you want to know about this book?" she asked.

Katie looked at the book on Sarah's lap, it almost glowed. AS if something within the book was demanding to be told. "If you'd like to tell me, yes."

Sarah didn't even open the book she looked at the girl, took a deep breath and began the story. "Once there was a beautiful girl…."

Katie sat enraptured, listening to Sarah's telling of a tale that was fantastical. There was magic in it, and goblins, and broken hearts. She noted that Sarah hesitated, and must have changed certain words, but the telling was what mattered. When Sarah ended her story she looked at the three boys who had fallen asleep. Katie looked from Sarah to Toby, then back at Sarah once more. "And the King never came to the girl again?"

"No," whispered the girl with green eyes; "Never again." She pretended to remove a speck of dust from her eyes. "Thing is, words have meaning… what's said is said… and things put in motion have consequences."

"You're afraid of Josh's plots?" Katie ventured.

"He's going around pushing for people to vote for me…even after I told everyone I don't want to be Homecoming Queen." Sarah complained. "He's got everyone thinking he's my boyfriend and that he's some kind of walking knight in shiny armor!" Sarah clutched the leather book to her heart. "I wouldn't be Josh Morgan's Queen! Not even in a nightmare," she declared hotly.

The younger girl lamented with Sarah. "You may have no choice."

"If one more girl comes up to me and tells me he's just too good to be true," Sarah growled deep in her throat. "I'm going to tell them just what a crock that is…. Josh Morgan is nothing but a pretender… there's nothing honorable or decent in him…unlike…" she paused and her voice broke.

Katie held her friend's hand. "I wish there was something I could do to help you."

Sarah looked up, a strange look in her eyes. "Be my date for Homecoming!" she said suddenly.

The younger girl pulled back and gave Sarah a wary glance. "I beg your pardon?"

"Be my date," she pulled Katie closer. "If I'm there with you, I can't be there with Josh."

Katie began to snicker; "OH that's going to go over like a lead balloon…" she thought about the consequences and then looked intrigued. "I don't have a fancy dress." She said thoughtfully.

"I've tons of fancy dresses, my own and some that my mom sent me from the plays and movies she's been doing." Sarah announced matter of factly. "We can pick out gowns and Karen will be glad to help do any altering that needs be done. So what do you say, Katharina Langford? Will you be my date to Homecoming?"

Katie began to giggle. "Oh hell, why not, if I have to go, why not go with a Queen?"

Sarah looked at the obelisk, a shadow crossed and for a moment she half expected a barn owl to swoop down. "They all think he's too good to be true…" she muttered clutching the book closer. "I know something about things not being what they appear…." She seemed to draw strength from the book she clutched. "We'll buy our own tickets, separately… and no one will ever guess what's going to happen."

"You're going to do something devastating, aren't you?" Katie asked in a breathy voice. "OH Sarah, you are my hero."

"Hero?" Sarah scoffed thinking of the Shakespearian character, her ego fluttered. "Nagh, I'm more a Rosalind or a Beatrice….maybe even the female equivalent of Puck…" Giving it more thought she let a smirk come to her lips that was reminiscent of an acquaintances', "Make that Katherine the Shrew…. Oh Josh Morgan… you've no idea whom you're messing with…" she began to laugh callously, turned and looked at the shocked girl at her side. "Well…. Laugh…"

Katie blinked, and then laughed lightly, carefully.

--

Karen listened to the two girls as they explained the plan; she moved her coffee mug about from hand to hand as she listened. "Well…" she sighed at long last. "I'm in."

Robert wandered into the kitchen, saw the three with their heads together and shuddered. "I don't want to know." He said as he passed through.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4. Plots, plans, and scheming**

Hoggle entered the throne room to find it utterly empty. He looked about, not one goblin was present, nor was the King. Hoggle cleared his throat and called out weakly. "Hello?" when no answer came, he moved to sit on the steps of the dais. Lowering his girth to the step he grunted as he sat. He was getting too old for this, he told himself. He sat in quiet contemplation until another member of the court entered.

Didymus had been recalled from the barren waste lands, he now stood with hat in hand, contritely entering the old throne room. He noted that it was empty except for the dwarf sitting at the foot of the throne. "Sir Hoggle?" he asked not sure if he could believe his old eyes. "Is it you my brother?"

Hoggle grunted again as he rose to stand and walk over to the little knight. "Yes it's me, who else would it be?" He asked grumpily.

Hope rose in the eyes of the little knight. "And Ludo?" he asked.

"He's been here, and is now returned to his little forest." Hoggle walked toward the window that overlooked a part of the Labyrinth. "The King had him clean up the rocks we left behind… and pardoned him."

Musing to himself the Knight of the Olde Code murmured. "Well, well… the lad remembered."

Hoggle shot a look at his companion and frowned. "Lad? What lad?" He raised a hand, not really wanting the Knight to explain. "The King called for both you and I, and I suggest we wait for his return."

Looking again about the empty room, the King's Knight asked. "Was there a summons?"

Hoggle shrugged.

--

Josh sat with his feet up on the coffee table they had scavenged from a pile of discarded furnishings at the dump on the edge of town. The shack had been abandoned by the rail road long ago and by all rights should have been torn down. Had the shack the boys were using been anywhere else in or about town it would have. But as it sat on the edge of the city dump, it was mostly forgotten. It had been used by hobos, and miscreants before it had fallen into the possession of this band of mischief makers. They had made scant repairs, and the roof now didn't leak in rain. But it still looked like what it was, an abandoned shack.

The boys had pulled furnishings from the dump and had outfitted the shack with items to ensue their own comforts. The rail road had put electrical outlets in the shack back in the 50's and for some reason had never seen fit to turn off the power. The boys found an old refrigerator that still had all its parts intact and actually ran. Here they kept a supply of soda and ill gotten beer for drinking. Josh now sat like the lord of this junk realm, swigging beer and plotting his next move.

"She's up to something," warned David.

"Are you sure this is even worth it?" Thomas asked reflectively as he too drank a beer.

Josh looked at the four boys that were in the shack with him. "Damn right it is…." He lowered his feet. "No little snippet of a bitch is going to get away with acting like she's too good for me!"

Thinking on the words, Thomas was on the verge of saying Sarah wasn't acting. He thought better of it when Josh slammed the bottle down on the table with violence. He kept his opinions to himself and wondered why he was still following this deranged maniac. As far as Thomas could see, Josh Morgan was nothing more than a trouble making scoundrel.

"Telling the world that I'm the last boy she'd ever date…well I'm going to fix it so no boy wants to date her!" He announced. "Not unless they want spoiled goods."

David sneered. "I've got the video camera all set up like you ordered, Josh." He was feeding and being fed by the idea of despoiling Sarah Williams. "I'm going to love taking these pictures!"

A tapping at the door of the shack was followed by a voice declaring. "It's Ben." The door opened to reveal a dark haired boy with features that seemed too sharp for a human face. "Wait until you see what I've just found." He waved the others to follow him. He swiftly led them past he piles of discarded bits and pieces of life. In a clearing of sorts stood an old bed frame made of brass. "It's perfect!" he announced.

Josh looked at the grimy frame and snorted. "Look around boys, there's got to be a dirty old mattress about as well." He placed his hands on the once ornate bed frame. "This is just perfect, here in the middle of a junkyard, surrounded by junk, Sarah Williams is going to lose her virtue and it will all be on film." He laughed cruelly.

--

Jareth entered the castle with the goblins that had followed him. "Criminal," he muttered to himself as they entered. He paused at the door, looked about the square that was before the huge doors and smiled briefly. "Ah the rocks are gone!" He grabbed a goblin who rushed past with a toothy creature on the end of a stick. "No more torturing the beast Ludo, understand?" When he recived a nod, he released the goblin and moved toward the door. "Hogs feet!" he greeted Hoggle.

"Hoggle," the dwarf sighed.

The King smiled, knowing he could still get to the dwarf. His eyes moved to the other in the throne room, the contrite little Goblin Knight. "Sir Didymus," he addressed him as he placed his hands behind his back. He was already imposing as he was in full armor, having been on a summons, but with his hands behind his back and his features in grimace he was now magnificent having a daunting presence.

At a snail's pace the diminutive knight approached. "Sire."

Waving off the rest of the Goblins, the King looked down his nose at the aging Knight. "A word, sir." He began darkly.

Hoggle looked up and frowned.

Hanging his head, Sir Didymus sighed. He'd been expecting a dressing down, and perhaps even exile for the part he played in the girl's rescue of the boy that the King had claimed as an heir. "Yes, sire?"

"Did you have to be so…damned… gallant?" Demanded Jareth still feeling a sting of betrayal. "I can understand Hoggle falling prey to the girl….but you!"

"Sire," Didymus blinked.

Jareth held up his hand, silencing protests from both the knight and the dwarf. "It's over, and it's done with. Now we must move on for the good of the Kingdom… I here by reinstate you to your full rank."

Gasping in surprise, the little Knight sputtered. "Sire!"

Jareth shook his head; he doubted he would ever be able to stay angry with the old Knight for long. "In addition, I'm having you reassigned. I want you here at the palace." He moved to his throne and took a seat. "The guards here need your… guidance!"

Tears formed in the old Knights eyes. "You're making me captain of the guard?"

The King gave a solemn nod, "I am." Bowing with a flourish, the aging Knight thanked his King. Jareth kept his face schooled. "Go now and have your squire bring your gear to the guards quarters. You'll be in the Captain's quarters from now on…. And I want to get to work right away working with those idiots."

Once the little Knight had rushed off, Hoggle turned to Jareth and murmured. "That was nice of you."

"No it wasn't," sighed the King. "It was necessary." He ran a hand over his eyes. "I made a mistake when I retired Didymus; everything went to hell after he left."

Hoggle looked at the improvements of the last few weeks; the throne room was swept clean of the clutter. There were no animals running free in the castle, and the walls had been washed of the years of grime. "I see what you're doing…" he boasted coolly. "It ain't never gonna be Oberon's palace." He warned.

"Oberon's palace be hung," muttered the young King. "I let things go, and I played fast and lose…." He leaned forward looking about the room. "I forgot the importance of this kingdom, but … she reminded me of why we are here." He looked at Hoggle. "I need your help."

Laughing the dwarf scoffed. "There's a first, you asking for instead of ordering help." He saw the King was not amused and sniffed. "What do you want me to do?"

"First, stop pissing in my pond and fountains." Jareth said coldly.

Hoggle shrugged. "Seemed like a good thing to do at the time, but alright. What else?"

"Help me bring the gate lands back to life." Jareth said boldly. "We'll go from there."

"You don't want them to appear frightening anymore?" Hoggle asked.

"Frightening, not dead," The King explained. "I recall how the land looked when I first arrived…when I first became King here…. And the Labyrinth claimed me…I owe her better than she's gotten."

"No argument there," quipped the dwarf.

"Help me?" Jareth asked softly.

"Why not," said the dwarf taking a seat at the foot of the throne. "I ain't gots nothing better to do…."

--

Sarah stood in the attic, ignoring the boxes labled 'Sarah's room', and kept her mind on the trunks that stood open in the middle of the floor.

"Where did you get the old steamer trunks?" Katie asked in awe. Her hand on one old trunk.

"Some were my mom's mom and others that one belonged to my great granny." Sarah explained as Karen used keys on an old ring to unlock still more of the trunks. "Mother left these behind when she moved to New York… said they were by rights mine."

Karen opened another trunk to reveal the drawers that held unmentionables and other accessories. "Linda then began sending costumes for Sarah, and we put some in these trunks and others in storage bags." She snickered. "I use to tease Linda that she was trying to give Sarah a career as a second had store owner."

"Vintage clothes," corrected the girl in question.

Katie looked about the attic, "Is all this yours?" she asked Sarah.

"No, not all of it."

Karen giggled. "Only most of it;" All three enjoyed the joke before Karen sat down on an old chair with tapestry that had seen better days. "So what exactly are you two looking for?"

"Something quiet," Katie ventured.

"Something 'Taming of the Shrew'," countered Sarah without looking at either of them. Her attention was on a trunk of costumes her mother had sent recently. "Well, well," she said pulling out a metallic bodice. "Just what I was looking for."

"Your aim is to look like a member of Kiss?" Karen screwed up her nose.

"No, more like a Valkyrie," answered her stepdaughter calmly. "If I'm going into battle I want to dress the part."

Katie looked at Karen, "Almost makes you pity Josh."

"Almost," agreed Karen.

--

Hoggle looked at the gate pool once more; he frowned and kicked the stone obelisk that was supposed to pump fresh water into the system. Nothing came out of the water spigot, not even a sound. Frustrated with the shoddy workmanship he had to put up with, he began to ramble on and on to himself. He kicked it once more, looked into the spigot, and was hit full force in the face by rushing water. Somewhere he could swear he could hear the tittering of Goblin laughter. "I'll get you stupid little buggers!" he muttered darkly.

Jareth came upon the pond, wanting to check on Hoggle progress just in time to witness his holding two goblins under the stagnate water. "Hoggle, what are you doing?"

"Getting even!" he snapped.

Jareth hid his smile behind his glove, and calmly said. "Let them up, you know they can't drown."

"No, but this gives them a taste of my revenge." He looked at the water and remembered how many times he'd let loose his bladder in the pond. The sneer on his face said it all.

Jareth watched the goblins stagger off, and looked at the drenched dwarf. "They stopped up the spigot?"

"Bastards," muttered the dwarf as he shook off the excess water.

Looking at the gate area, Jareth saw the improvements. "You did a good job here; I see the garden is in bloom again."

"That was not my doing," Hoggle warned. "Labyrinth has a mind o her own!"

The King turned to look up at the windswept hillside. "I know she does," he commented quietly. "What the Labyrinth wants, the Labyrinth gets." He took a step toward the hillside; the scent on the wind captivated him and drew him back to a memory. "Sarah," he whispered, knowing no one else in the Kingdom carried that fragrance. It smelled of youth, of promise, of awakening and of spices that could only be found in the world of man. "Sarah," he groaned delighting in feeling her strength once more.

The dwarf heard the word and looked up at the hillside troubled. "She's not here," he cautioned the King.

"She's thinking of us," Jareth said confidently. "Once more she's thinking on us!" He turned to the dwarf with a smile.

The smile was not returned. "You leave her be!" Warned the dwarf darkly; "She beat you once; she'll do so again if you mess with her."

Jareth looked away from the dwarf to the hillside; an image of Sarah with her hair fluttering on the breeze captivated his mind. "I shall do nothing to instigate this, I promise you." He snickered. "I won't have to…" he walked up the hillside, out of the hearing of the dwarf. "What the Labyrinth wants, the Labyrinth gets." He said with a confident smile.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5. Sarah Williams, Bitch Queen**

Sarah looked at the Dean of Girls, an older woman who showed no sympathy for the girls plight. "But Dean Gregg, I didn't invite this attention!" she argued. "I don't want to be Homecoming Queen, and I don't want to ride some silly float!"

The older woman looked down her nose at Sarah, a student she'd never really cared for. "So you keep telling me, Miss Williams. And yet here we are…." The sudden crash of a book shelf drew her attention. She fumed as she called her secretary on the intercom. "Miss Hayes, have the maintenance department send someone over…the bookcase in my office is collapsing!"

Sarah had seen the dark outline dart in and out, but she kept it to herself. If the woman didn't care for her now, telling her she had Goblins would not make matters any better. "I'm very sorry to take up your time," She said rising. "If I have to be on the float, I'll be there."

"I knew you'd see reason." Dean Gregg remained seated. "Good day," she snapped.

Sarah moved quickly out of the line of fire, worried that the Goblins would try something else. She rushed down the hall to her next class, and breathed a sigh of relief when she found things were nice and quite there. Marjorie looked up at her, no longer angry as she saw how hard Sarah was trying to get out of the rigged crown.

"Any luck?" she asked when the girl took her seat.

"Nada," whispered the green eyed girl hoarsely.

Placing her head down on the desk Marjorie moaned. "It's not fair…."

Sarah nearly laughed, but took pity on the other girl. "Things in life seldom are, Margie… but don't worry…I've got a plan."

Fear filled the eyes of the should be Homecoming Queen. "That can't be good," she moaned. "Sarah, don't do anything that's going to…" Placing her index finger to her own lips, Sarah hushed the other girl then pointed to the front of the class room.

--

For weeks now Sarah had been putting up with Josh calling and even parking his car out side her house. She had heard the other girls who could not spot a phony telling her how lucky she was to be dating such a stud. She had teachers comment on how thoughtful her new beau was when flowers showed up on her desk. She had other guys who had been paying attention to her back off. Only Katie seemed to know the truth, and only Katie seemed to care. Sarah found that she was spending more and more time with the younger girl, preparing her for a battle of wits. She sat on the throne of the float in the parade with a smile painted on her face. Marjorie seated just below her on a lower seat, minus the painted smile. The parade route was long and Sarah was losing what was left of her cool.

--

Robert was seated in his favorite chair in the parlor when Katie arrived to begin dressing for the dance. She smiled at Sarah's dad as she was ushered up the stairs by Karen who was asking what in the world had happened at the parade, and why was Sarah ready to chew nails and spit rust. Robert, chewing on the stem of his pipe muttered bleakly about too many women in his quiet house. He looked over at Toby who was watching a Thomas the Tank Engine video, and smiled to himself once more.

--

Karen helped both girls into their dresses and began to work on piling Sarah's hair, twisting and pinning it in place. Katie sat quietly watching as Karen worked magic with Sarah's long locks.

"How did you learn to do that?" Sarah asked amazed as her hair took on shape and form.

"You're mom is not the only talented lady in this family," Karen mumbled through the bobby pins in her mouth. Katie held her breath for a moment, fearing fallout from the comment, however if Karen was aware of it she showed no signs. "Your mom and I both know a thing or two about hair."

Sarah looked in the mirror, nodding. "Mom said I should ask you about upsweeps."

Karen smiled wistfully. "Your mom can do more with just five bobby pins than any other woman." She stood back, looking at her handy work. "However, I think she'd approve of this."

Sarah laughed, "Oh perfect!" she looked at the unusual do that Karen had given her and picked up her eye make up; "Now for the finishing touches."

Karen turned to the younger girl, "Okay, your turn." She patted the chair that Sarah had just vacated to rush off toward the bathroom armed with makeup.

Hesitating, Katie held up one hand. "Not quite that wild, please… I'm not the star of this production."

Shrugging Karen shook her head, "Sorry Katie, I'm under the strict orders of the Queen…." Karen thumbed toward the bath room.

A voice erupted from the bath, "Katie, don't you dare go all spineless and pusillanimous on me now!"

Katie sat down, surrendering to Karen's skillful fingers. "Okay, do your worst."

--

Jareth was working in his study, it was a quiet night and he felt he could get a head of the piles of paper work his new attention to the Kingdom were generating. Hoggle tapped at the door and he motioned the Dwarf in as he placed his quill down. "Hogs feet?"

"Hoggle," the dwarf said but rushed past the usual banter. "Sire, I think we've got a problem."

"Only one?" Jareth asked leaning back in his chair. "How novel."

"Seriously," Hoggle motioned the king to join him out in the hall.

Looking about the King shrugged. "I don't see anything."

"That's just it… where are … all the goblins?" Hoggle waved his arms to emphisise the fact they were alone.

Jareth moved down the hall toward the throne room, it too was empty. He moved to the window and listened. "Oh that can't be good." He said hearing silence.

--

Josh was dressed in his best outfit, and knew he looked hot. He had given orders to his crew to be dressed spiffy, and to be ready to act like Sarah's adoring court. The only one who was not going to be attending the dance was Ben. His job was to get the junkyard ready for the sex party. Josh was going to pay back Sarah for the insults of being rejected, if it was the last thing he'd ever do.

--

Marjorie held her date's hand nervously. "Sarah's going to do something evil," she whispered.

Tony patted the hand within his. "From what I've seen that idiot Josh has earned what ever Sarah throws at him." He pointed to the other girls in the Queen's court. "They all know Sarah didn't want this. They know she was railroaded."

"Anyone who really knows Sarah knows that." Marjorie agreed quietly. "Tony promise me no matter what happens you won't leave my side."

"You got it," he nodded as they approached the court. He looked at the band, "They look like Sarah clued them in too…."

Moments later the lights of the gymnasium where the dance was being held lowered and the boys from the tech labs began to put on the light show. The band began to sing the Queen hit 'Killer Queen', and in the middle of the light show Sarah entered the room with a spot light that went straight to her. She looked like something out of a Roger Vadim movie, the long locks of hair that usually hung on her shoulders was twisted up, and pined to look like some glam rocker's stage hair. In her hair were the strangest bits and pieces, things that looked like starbursts and exploded shells, metallic tinsel and little flashing lights. Under the metallic bodice was a sheer gown of pale green, the skirt of which was torn and ragged. Under the skirt Sarah was wearing thigh high stiletto green leather boots. Over her shoulders was a long green cloak, or actually it was six layers of green metallic gauze making a cloak.

Her face was schooled into a sneer, one she'd seen used by a Royal pain in her ass, and now she was using the same look. She strutted into the room and did a little bit of a bump and grind dance on her way up to the stage where she danced about Homecoming throne before actually moving to stand balanced on the arms. She looked at the horrified faces of the Teachers and sponsors who had forced her to take this unwanted and unwelcomed position. The students who had engineered this farce stood staring at the girl balanced on the throne. Students, who knew Sarah and respected her and her wishes, stood now looking at her with admiration and awe. Even Marjorie stared at her with an open mouth.

The band ended the song, and the spot light rested solely on Sarah, she removed a riding crop from her belt. Giving the leather of her boots a sharp little whack, the males in the room jumped, while girls giggled. "What's wrong, Josh?" She asked in a throaty tone. "Not what you expected?"

Josh stared at her with hate, and with anger at being put down yet again by a girl he felt was beneath him.

Dean Gregg moved forward. "Miss Williams!" she exclaimed sharply. "What are you doing?"

"Reigning," she said coldly. "I warned you I didn't want this, but you insisted. Now reap what you've sown." She snapped her fingers and the girls who had been elected to the royal court formed a barrier before the stage. "Now hear this," Sarah crouched down. "You wanted me to be Queen…" She gazed at the throng of boys who had started this. "Well my first order is to have you expelled from this little fete, as you bore me." She snapped her fingers and the entire football team surrounded the five trouble makers. "Go quietly, or not… the choice is yours." She drawled breathlessly.

Dean Gregg gasped as she watch the boys being ushered out unceremoniously by the team. "You can't do that!" she protested.

"Watch me," Sarah announced darkly, something moving in the corners had her attention. She'd a feeling that as long as she kept control of the situation the inhabitants of the gym would remain safe.

She stood up again on the arms of the chair, "I see myself more as an Empress, or a Goddess… Marjorie, catch…" she tossed the crown that was now in her hand to the girl with red hair. "You're now the Queen… reign well."

Marjorie had caught the crystal encrusted crown and held it with tears running down her cheeks. "Thank you Sarah."

Sarah cracked the riding crop against her boot, "Let's get this party started!" She jumped off the throne and moved down the steps to find Katie standing with the Queen's court. "That's an order people." She hooked an arm into Katie's and led her friend to the center of the dance floor. The band struck up, in spite of the protests of the Dean of Girls.

Little eyes all over the gym watched as the girl moved about cavorting with her subjects. For whether she had the crown on or not, Sarah Williams was indeed a Queen. Dark shapes danced in the shadows. As long as the girl was safe and sound they would remain peaceable; mischievous, but peaceable.

--

Outside the gym the trouble makers gathered about Josh, "Watch every exit, her car is in the south lot, we'll follow her when she leaves. Force her off the road and heard her to the junkyard and her coronation party."

--

Marjorie and Tony were dancing in the same circle that was gathered around Sarah and Katie. Everyone seemed to be having a grand time now that things had been set right; everyone except Dean Gregg, standing on the sidelines glaring at Sarah.

Tony looked over at Sarah and whistled sharply. "That's some outfit there Sarah."

"This old thing?" She asked twirling about.

Marjorie looked over at her with a worried eye. "You'd better be careful, that Josh is up to something… I can just feel it."

"Hey," Sarah paused and put her hands on her hips. "No one, and I mean no one messes with the Bitch Queen" those gathered around Sarah laughed and went back to dancing.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6. Hell hath no fury**

Sarah was not prepared for the band to play a slow song, when the first strains of the song were struck she blanched. The cords were so familiar, and yet the words to the song were so different from the words one person had sung to her on a night that seemed a lifetime ago. She looked at Katie who moved her hand to Sarah's face.

"Are you alright?" she mouthed.

Nodding, Sarah took both of Katie's hands into hers, and they moved slowly side to side, mimicking slow dancing with out being intimate. Sarah listened to the melody and whispered under her breath. "_**There's such a fooled heart, beating so fast…in search of new dreams… a love that will last…**_"

Katie stared at her, "What's that from?"

"Nothing," sighed Sarah blinking to hold back the tears that threatened to appear. "It's nothing."

"It's beautiful," countered her younger friend. "Did just make that up?"

"No," Sarah felt uncomfortable. "Someone once said those words to me…"

Excitement filled Katie's eyes. "Really? Oh that's so romantic!"

Sarah looked at the decorations of the gym, and remembered another room and another dance. "Yes, it was." She closed her eyes, and for a moment was transported to an opulent ballroom made of crystal. Decorated in chandeliers and candles, and long flowing gauze. The scent of spice filled her memory. His scent. _**HIM**_. Sarah dropped her hands and opened her eyes, "Excuse me for a moment," she said before turning to head toward the hall and the girls' rest rooms.

Katie watched her go, her head cocked to one side. For a moment she could have sworn the shadows in the room were following Sarah. But that was just crazy, wasn't it? She looked over at Marjorie who was also staring after Sarah. She too had seen something but had also chosen to keep it to herself.

--

Sarah moved into the restroom, found it empty and leaned on the wall to catch her breath and compose. She looked up, the sounds of the song were faintly heard, and she wished she could block them. It wasn't his song, it wasn't hers, but it was close enough. Reaching into the bodice she pulled out the one thing she'd taken away from the Labyrinth. The one treasure she held close to her heart always. The little bit of a shattered crystal bobble from the ballroom that had fallen into her rolled up sleeves of her poet shirt. She had only found them when she was removing the shirt after her other worldly friends had departed from her room. She knew it must have fallen into the rolled up sleeve when she was falling into the junkyard after she'd shattered the wall of crystal mirror. So many things fell out of the ballroom, chairs, goblets, bobbles and glittering dust. She'd kept the shards hidden, pulling them out only when she needed to be reminded of how strong she could really be. "_**Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered….**_" She murmured letting her eyes go to the mirror. Once more she tucked the shards of crystal bobbles back into her bodice, nestled in between the soft mounds of her breasts hidden from all but herself. Once more composed she exited the rest room and returned to the dance and the haunting music.

--

Jareth sat on his throne, "There's been no summons in months… they must have gotten bored." He said coolly.

Hoggle paced franticly. "Those little trouble makers," he muttered. "Can't trust the lot of em."

The King was amused; it seemed Hoggle was far and away more worried about what the horde of goblins could be doing than he was. "I'm sure it's nothing." He played with his ever present leather gloves. "Probably just some prank on some milk maid…" His lips curved into a leer; "Wouldn't mind a prank of that sort myself now and again."

"Milk maid? Since when do you go for that type?" accused the dwarf angrily. "So help me, if I finds out you were behind them doing something…"

"I'm as innocent as the day I was born," Jareth said unconvincingly.

"Innocent, you were never innocent…" he stomped up to the throne. "Now get out a crystal and find those little monsters."

The King clucked his tongue in his cheek, he raised his hand on the verge of making a point when he paused, cocked his head to one side and listened carefully. "Do you hear that?" Hoggle followed the King as he moved once more to the window. Jareth took a seat, closed his eyes and placed his right hand over his heart. "Music…" he whispered in a soft breath. "Sarah…"

--

Josh lit up the last cigarette in his pack; he drew the smoke deeply into his lungs and held it there far longer than any other boy smoking. The heat gave him comfort and he needed it to keep his focus. How dare that little snippet treat him like this, having him ushered out of the dance and barred from returning; he'd teach her a lesson she'd not soon forget, make her pay. He looked at his companions critically. Although they were not what he was use to, he'd make due. He felt the heat of the smoke deep within and smiled. "Keep watch, I wager the girl is going to leave before the others."

David looked at Josh with questioning eyes. "Why would she leave before the others?"

"She's not here with a date, just that girl that follows her like a puppy." Josh slurred as he took yet another long hard drag on the cigarette. "Ben's all set up; all we have to do is herd them to the junkyard."

--

Two hours into the dance Sarah found she was feeling restless and asked Katie if she were ready to leave or did she want to stay. Katie had been having a good time, and Sarah really didn't want to pull her away from the party. Had any of the unattached boys there asked for Katie to stay, Sarah would have encouraged her. She'd a feeling in her craw that something was about to happen, and whatever it was she didn't want Katie involved or hurt. But none of the boys had asked Katie for anything more than a dance. Katie looked at her friend and smilingly told her she was ready to go. As they moved toward the car, the younger girl spoke cordially.

"Thank you Sarah, for bringing me along," she wore a peaceful smile. "I had a really good time."

Sarah unlocked the little car and gave the younger girl a grin. "You should see me when I'm really warmed up," she teased.

Katie settled into the seat, and put on her seat belt. "You handled everything so well!" She complemented the older girl in a wave of admiration.

Sarah started her engine and pulled her little car out of the lot. One block away she frowned. "We've got company." She said keeping an eye on the sedan following her car. She looked ahead to find a car pull in front of her so close she had to break not to hit him. Then two more cars pulled up, one on either side. "Damn they're hemming us in…" She worked at keeping her car from being crushed between the four.

"Where are they leading us?" Katie asked sounding frightened.

Sarah's mind worked quickly. "The only thing out on this road is the town dump…." There was no way she could edge her way out of the box they had her hemmed into. She kept her eyes on the cars directing her. "Katie," her voice became deathly calm, and took on an edge she'd not used with the younger girl. "Listen to me; we are in real trouble here. I need you to trust me."

"I trust you," Katie said looking at her with wide eyes.

"I need you to follow my orders to the letter," Sarah went on quietly. "I'm going to get you out of this…but that means I need you to do just as I say when I say it…got it?"

"Yes Sarah," Katie nodded obediently.

Sarah could see the junkyard ahead, dark and dingy, "When they force us to exit the car, we'll have maybe a moment of confusion…. When I say run, you run…wait for my signal and follow me…I promise you I won't let you get hurt…"

"I know," Katie said quietly as she looked toward the junkyard. "Why out here?"

"It's deserted for the most part," Sarah said knowing Josh had plans he didn't want observed. "Anyone here would not be in a hurry to report anything to the cops."

"He's going to hurt us, isn't he?" Katie began to rock back and forth in fear.

"Not if I have any say!" Sarah announced.

--

Dark shapes moved through the shadows, following the cars that hemmed in the car carrying the girl and her companion. Trouble was brewing and they meant to make sure the girl was not on the receiving end.

--

Josh pulled his car, the lead car in this forced caravan, into the City Dump gate that was wide open. The city budget had not covered the cost of a paid guard for years, so the gate house was empty. Many people found it advantageous to dump unwanted items late at night, without being watched. And although the town didn't have the financial hardships that was hitting some communities, there had been an increase in homeless folks showing up in the dump from surrounding communities who were worse off than this community. Josh knew they would burrow deep into the dump and not disturb the evil goings on he had plotted. He pulled out the amulet he wore under his garments. He had given his whole being over to the power that gave him strength. Now he would give it something that was becoming harder and harder to find. Not one, but two virtuous virgins to be corrupted.

--

Sarah looked over at Katie as she was forced toward a parking place and again hemmed in. "Watch me, and when I say run, you follow me!" Sarah said in a husky voice.

"I will," promised the younger girl as she prepared her self for what was about to befall them.

A boy stood guard on each of the doors, and when Sarah opened her door she was sneered at. She exited the car with her head held high, her eyes bright and no sign of fear. "What the hell do you think you're doing Josh Morgan? Have you lost what little mind you have?" She demanded in a no nonsense tone.

Josh laughed as he took a step toward Sarah. "Why your highness," he addressed her coldly. "I'm just preparing a little coronation celebration for my Queen."

"I'm not your anything, Josh…" Sarah warned.

Turning to look toward Katie, Josh sneered again. "How kind of you to bring your little friend, I'm sure my buddies and I will be only too happy to …entrain her as well." He placed his hand over his crotch, knowing there'd be no mistaking his meaning. He looked back at Sarah. "After I finish with you, I'll be only too happy to slutify her as well."

Still not reacting, but observing her options and the lay of the dump, Sarah laughed at him. "You and what army?"

David saw something dark move, "What was that?" he asked snapping his head toward the movement.

Thomas, whose inner voice had been screaming since they left the gym, was standing by Katie. He looked at the younger girl and felt guilty. "Josh, let this one go…"

Josh turned on him like a cobra; "Hell no!" He hissed. "You don't have to take part if you don't want to… or can't get it up… but you're going to watch, and enjoy."

Thomas had his hands on Katie, not tightly, but firmly. He didn't like this, it felt all wrong. Something keep nagging at him, and he could sense that something or someone was watching them. "Josh, this ain't right!" He looked behind them hearing sounds he could not recognize. "Josh, we're not alone here."

"That's fine," Josh's brow rose so high it nearly touched the locks of hair falling onto his forehead. "They can watch too," he snickered; "Always wanted an audience when I deflowered some fine piece of ass."

Sarah saw dark shadows move, heard noises that were familiar to her. She'd heard the wheezing and the tittering before. She saw something dart across the path, and another something or group of somethings dart behind the trees near Josh. 'Goblins?' she thought to herself. When a pile of junk near the boy standing off to Josh's side fell over and startled him and Josh, Sarah turned to the boy at her side and jabbed him in the gut, then yelled to Katie. "Run!" A moment of chaos later, the two girls were heading down a dark passage between two mounds of garbage. Sarah pulled the younger girl close and into a niche in one of the towering piles. Wrapping them both in the layers of her cloak, she disguised them as part of the pile. They heard feet rushing past and boys yelling.

"There's no way out of here, Sarah." Josh's voice was angry. "You're getting fucked tonight, like it or not, bitch Queen." He scoffed as he passed the hiding place not senseing the girls at all. "I've waited a long time to fuck you, bitch… and you're not leaving here until each and everyone of us has had you…" He grabbed Ben who came rushing toward him. "Keep a sharp eye open, and if you grab one, take her to the bed, the other will try to rescue her."

Listening to the instructions, Sarah placed a finger to Katie's lips to keep her still. She breathed very shallow breaths, and they remained silent as the grave.

Thomas grabbed Josh's arm. "I didn't sign up for this shit!"

"Shut up," Josh ordered coldly. "Go man the camera, soon as I get a hold of that bitch, I'm stripping her, I want to fuck the daylights out of her… and I want it in living color so I can show all the boys just what a slut Sarah Williams really is." He moved away from the pile down toward a path that looked as if someone had just moved down it.

Thomas saw the flutter of material, and in the darkness his eyes met with green ones peering out of gauze. "I'll distract them," he whispered, hopeful that Sarah understood he was not the enemy. "Go toward the gully… and hide."

Katie looked at Sarah when she lowered the cloak. "The gully?"

Pointing in the direction that Thomas had mentioned, Sarah nodded. She heard the scream of a boy, and a crash and another sound and knew Thomas was not the only one setting up a diversion. She grabbed Katie and hauled her toward the old gully wash. She heard Josh screaming for someone to follow him. She pulled Katie back into darkness, this time cupping her hand over the girls mouth to mask her heavy breathing. She heard Josh move past them again, heard him issue orders and held her own breath. He was putting himself between her and the escape route. The last thing Sarah wanted was to be herded toward the area that was set up to rape her and Katie, but Josh was making it impossible for her to get to the gully. She saw him move away and whispered under her breath, "I wish I could find a way out of here, right now."

Sarah had not realized she's spoken aloud, not even when Katie gave her the strangest look. It was not until she'd seen a pile of garbage move side to side and then forward that Sarah saw her escape. She saw another pile move, and a head move up and peer at the pile before them. Sarah saw the pinched up face, the dirty red hair that looked like it had not been combed in over a hundred years. She gasped lightly, and lowered her hand from Katie's mouth to her shoulder. "Follow me, don't look around and for the love of God, don't let go of my hand." She warned the younger girl.

Moving carefully, Sarah headed toward a pile that was moving side to side. She and Katie slid between that pile and another. Katie could see the piles were strapped to the backs of what looked like worn out and spent people. She held tighter to Sarah's hand and Sarah led Katie toward what looked like a break in the wall of garbage. The breach in this wall closed up as soon as Katie and Sarah were within the circle of moving piles. They stopped moving and Sarah crouched down, pulling Katie down as well and motioning her to keep still.

Josh came rushing though a path, one he'd not seen before and he and two other's stopped. "They must have come this way!" he shouted. "I'll climb up to the top of this pile, take a look…" The pile shuddered and collapsed under him and a groan was heard.

"'Ere!" said an old woman's voice. "Git off my back!"

Josh pulled back when the pile turned; in the center of rags was a face. Dirty, worn, pinched up and scowling at him. Josh's eyes went wide. The creature was surrounded by junk and rags tied to her back and she was bent under its weight. She scowled again and he jumped back away fearfully. "Get away from me you old goblin!" he ordered.

The creature snorted and took a thunderous step toward him. "Why don't you watch were your going young man?" Then sniffing the air, she narrowed her eyes on him. "You don't smell like a human… you smell…" she sniffed again, "You smell of demon." She said darkly. "Beware boy, you and yours go too far."

Josh shuddered, Goblins were not supposed to be here. "Look for Sarah," he ordered the two at his side. "Bring her to me!"

The old Goblin woman, moved closer to him and the piles behind her closed ranks so he never got a glimpse of the hidden girls. The junk woman's puckered face was staring crossly at him from beneath a load of bent and battered metal objects, discarded clothes, chipped crockery, and broken furniture that she bore. "What's your rush, demon boy? What you looking for?"

"Never mind," he scowled back at the Goblin. "Tell your master his kind are not going to rule here any more… my people are getting a foot hold…humans respond to demons and to what we offer."

Sarah held her breath, she was sure Katie was holding hers' as well.

Josh stormed off and the Junk woman snorted with satisfaction. She looked over her shoulder into the piles conceling the girls. "I'd make a run for it while I can if I was you." She whispered while pointing toward a path where piles were moving about. "Just over that ridge…."

Sarah nodded, grabbed Katie by the hand and like the wind they ran. Sarah could hear Josh yelling like a banshee, and she pulled Katie deep into the junk yard. The deeper they ran the angrier the sounds of the voices behind them became. They were nearly at an end of the moving piles when Sarah spotted a break in the wall that seemed to have sprung up out of no where. "This way," she said desperately as she pulled Katie to the wall. She shoved her friend into the breach and then dove in her self. Both girls fell down an embankment, tumbling over each other to land in a heap at the bottom of a sharp incline. Sarah lay still for a moment but heard Josh's voice and pulled Katie up and toward what looked like a forest of misshapen trees. For the moment the only thing on Sarah's mind was getting Katie to safety, not the fact that she'd seen this type of tree before…

Josh slammed his fist into David's shoulder. "How could you let them escape?"

Thomas stood at the break in the strange wall he'd never noticed before. He looked at the dump and the moving piles. "Josh this doesn't feel right… there's something mighty strange about this entire place…"

Josh shoved him out of the way. "We have to bring them back," he announced. "Come on…" he said with fury.

David held his throbbing arm and followed, as did the two other boys. Thomas looked at Ben. "I'm not going in there."

"Me either." Ben said looking at the piles moving about them. "Let's get the hell out of here before something else happens."

Agnes watched as the two moved away from the portal, she saw the little dark shapes of goblins rushing toward her. "You'd better tell the King we've got company… and that his girl friends being hunted by a demon…"

"Feel sorry for demon," one little goblin quipped.

Agnes laughed.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7. The way forward is the way back**

Sarah pulled Katie deep into the thicket of trees, crouching down to see if anyone was following. She looked at the embankment and the wall above it, when something stirred within her. She took a deep gasping breath and looked around her, seeing the trees for the first time, and moaned. "Oh no."

Katie looked over at her worried, "What?"

"I've been here before," Sarah rested her head on one of the trees she was crouching behind.

Looking at her in wonder, the younger girl sighed. "Well you grew up here…"

"This is not here," Sarah whispered tightly. "This is there…."

"There?" Katie repeated. "There where?"

Sarah didn't answer, but put her hand over the other girl's mouth and watched as three bodies fell down the embankment. Katie had seen too and went very still.

"Up the road," ordered Josh whose face was rapidly changing. "Hurry, before she finds refuge."

Katie looked at Sarah with desperate eyes; Sarah crumpled against the tree behind her and took a long breath. She could not go back through to the junkyard that way was too dangerous what with Josh's crew looking for them. She looked over her shoulder to a small hidden path in the forest. It was the only way, a way she knew only too well, and was going to have to travel…yet again. Picking herself up she looked up to the heavens, "Don't you ever get tired of this?" she asked some unseen watcher. "This way," she whispered to the girl and turned toward the path. "Stay close," she warned.

--

Every alarm in the castle went off at once; Jareth still sitting in the window braced himself for the rush of little bodies. Less than a moment later his brace was rewarded while Hoggle was knocked to his knees by the rush of incoming goblins. Hundreds were talking and screeching and jabbering at once at the King. He would have asked the dwarf if he were alright had the dwarf not risen up to start tossing goblin bodies this way and that. Jareth felt he was better off moving toward his throne and waiting for the dust to settle.

Once seated on the massive throne, the King drew his fingers up to his lips, gave a sharp whistle and the room stilled. "Hello," he greeted the goblins who had frozen in frenzy. "What have you been up to?"

Bobbling eyes, bulging and bloodshot looked at their king, some even had guilty faces. There was a good deal of dickering going on as to who was going to act as spokesperson for the horde. Finally one Goblin was thrust toward the throne. He had been before the throne before, and was still shaking in his boots. His eyes boggling, he gulped and said the first words that came to his mind. "Your Highness… the girl…"

Jareth remembered the last time, smiled laconically and leaned into the palm of his hand. "What girl?"

The goblin stared at him, gulped and went on. "The girl who ate the peach… and forgot everything…"

Hoggle frowned at the goblin speaking and dropped the one he had gripped by the throat. "Sarah," he whispered.

Jareth ignored Hoggle and sniffed the air; he looked at the speaker and shrugged, "Yes, what of her?" He gave an air of not really caring.

Excited and unable to contain himself the speaker's eyes were nearly popping out of his head as he flung one arm out behind him. "She's here!"

Hoggle shoved Goblins out of his way, "No, she can't be."

Jareth leaned back, smiled as he hummed to himself.

--

The path opened up, and became wider, just as Sarah knew it would. She gripped Katie's hand now and held it tightly. "Stay at my side, you don't know this place."

Katie looked at Sarah and pulled her to a halt. "You do?" The older girl nodded and Katie frowned. "You said this is not here, it's there…Where is there?"

Sarah cast her eyes downward and looked about the forest floor. "You remember that book I told you about?"

"The Labyrinth? Yes, why?"

"It's not just a story…it's real." Sarah said firmly.

Katie didn't react as Sarah had expected. She didn't protest, she didn't scream she didn't fight. She smiled serenely with satisfaction. "I knew I wasn't crazy…" she said softly. "I've been seeing Goblins around your house since we moved in!" There was no mistaking the elation in Katie's voice, she was overjoyed.

Sarah stared at her for a moment, "You saw what?"

The younger girl shrugged, "My gram says because I almost died when I was younger I have the ability to see… the unseen." She sounded so matter of fact.

"And you see Goblins?" Sarah grabbed the sapling next to her to help brace her. "At my house?"

"At, in, around…. Everywhere you are in fact." Katie said calmly. "It's quite funny, everything someone pisses you off the Goblins sort of avenge you in little ways."

"And you never mentioned this because…" Sarah led the girl to give answers.

The younger girl giggled, "OH yeah, walk up to somebody and say… By the way, did you know you're lousy with Goblins? See how long it takes some one to call the men in white coats." She was sarcastic but still friendly. "So just where are we anyway?"

Sarah looked over her shoulder at the wall in the distance. "That's the junkyard of the Goblin City… beyond that wall there is the Castle of the Goblin King." She turned to the direction she was leading Katie. "This way leads to the maze garden, and we'll be safer there from Josh and his followers."

"Why not head toward the castle?" Katie asked as Sarah took steps forward again.

"I'm not welcome there," Sarah stated.

"Why not?" demanded the younger girl.

Giggling softly to her self Sarah looked over her shoulder at her friend. "Because I sort of blew it up the last time I was here."

Katie moved to keep up with her friend. "Oh this I have got to hear."

--

Josh's features were becoming sharper, less soft more pointed and severe. His chin now seemed to be jutting out and his teeth seemed to be growing as well. He could not keep up the glamour that he'd woven to wear in the mundane world of man. This was the Underground, part of the Fairlylands, and his powers were not a match for the woven magic that was in everything here. He could not maintain his glamour and his true form was now visible. Had it not been for the fact that he had sway over the boys with him he was sure they would have run the other direction once the glamour had dropped. He could feel the other changes happening to him as well. The way his body had changed and his garments. He would make the girl pay for this, somehow.

David and Bill seemed oblivious to the changes in their companion. They were now acting more like hunting dogs, seeking the scent of the prey. David went to his knees and touched the path they were on. "I don't see any signs of them, not even a footfall."

Josh looked back over his shoulder, "They must not have taken the trial…" He looked toward the embankment and the dump. "I doubt they would have gone back there, too sure of capture."

"That is if Thomas and Ben are still up there," Bill stated boldly. "Would they have gone into the wood?"

Josh looked at the boy who had just spoken up, considered his question and then nodded. "We have to find them before the Goblins find us." David and Bill looked at each other and mouthed the word 'Goblin'. Josh retraced their steps and looked for any sign of a path in the trees. "This way," he said leading the pair.

--

Hoggle had advanced on the throne, his hand pointing at his King in an accusing motion. "You said you would not…"

"I didn't," Jareth said before the dwarf could finish his accusation.

"Well someone did, she wouldn't come back here on her own you know!" Snapped the little gardener.

Jareth leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs; "Why not?"

Eyes buldging with anger, the dwarf snarled at his King. "Why would she? She thinks you stole her baby brother," he shouted.

"I took him, yes, but I didn't steal him…." Defended the King coyly.

Hoggle continued without notice. "She thinks you were going to turn Toby into a goblin…"

"I never said I'd do that," Jareth protested, Hoggle gave him a doubtful and baleful gaze. Jareth snickered. "All I said was she had thirteen hours until her baby brother became one of us…forever…" he snickered again, enjoying his own brand of humor.

"And you didn't think she'd put two and two together?" Hoggle asked in a tone a bit sharper than he'd ever used in the King's presences.

Amused, the King over looked the lack of decorum. "I never intended to turn Toby… he was far too… intelligent and well formed." Goblins looked at the King with admiration. "I wanted to adopt the tyke, not turn him."

"That's not what the girl thought," countered Hoggle. "And it was her thoughts that counted."

Jareth nodded sadly. "Her thoughts," he murmured.

"And you made it all the worse by making me give her that damn peach!" Now the Dwarf was speaking through gritted teeth. "You and your damned spells, making her dance to your tune in a fairytale room…"

"Now just a moment," Jareth said firmly. "The room was only partly mine; she's the one who supplied the dream, not I." He softened at the memory of her in his arms. "The tune was mine that I'll admit."

The dwarf moved back away from the throne turning his back on the King. "You made me betray her."

"Yes, well… she made you betray me… and I'm the King…" Jareth said curtly.

Hoggle didn't answer, he was thinking of how Sarah had forgiven him when he'd rescued her from the King's goblin robot at the gate. How she'd returned his bag of jewels, and claimed him as her friend. He placed a hand on his wrist where the bracelet Sarah had placed there so long ago still hung. He never took it off; it was his private treasure, something the King could never claim. "She has no reason to trust you."

"I'll just have to prove myself to her," Jareth claimed as he rose from the throne and stepped regally down the dais. "Come Hoggle, let's go find her."

"Oh sire," one little goblin chirped up. "There was something else… something Agnes told us to tell you."

Jareth paused, looked down at the little goblin. "And that was?"

The little face screwed up as he worked at remembering the exact words used by the junkwoman. "Oh yeah," he did a little dance. "She said to tell you that your girlfriend is being hunted by a demon."

Hoggle's eyes widened in worry; "A demon?" When the little goblin nodded the dwarf turned to his King. "How did a demon get in here?"

Jareth raised his hand and drew a perfectly shaped crystal orb from the air. "Show me the girl and the one who pursues her."

--

Sarah was watching the path, and paused. "The bog," she groaned.

"Bog?" repeated the girl at her side just as she got a whiff of the stench in the air ahead. "Oh my God, what is that?"

"The bog of eternal stench," Sarah sighed. "And we have to cross it." She held up a hand. "Follow me, and don't touch anything and for God's sake don't let a drop of the bog touch you."

"Oh my God that's the worst thing I've ever smelled." Katie complained, gagging on the stench.

"Yeah, well, don't touch it or you'll smell like it forever;" Warned the girl in the lead. Sarah came to a halt just before the bog; the stones that Ludo had called up for her were still there. High and dry and shinning in the Underground moonlight; "Step carefully," Sarah warned as she moved to the first rock. "Just keep your mind on what you're doing."

Katie was glad her boots didn't have the big fancy heels Sarah was walking in. Keeping her balance on the rocks was not as hard as she'd thought it would be. Once they were on the other side Katie looked back the way they had come. "Too bad there's no way to make the rocks go away."

"Ludo could," Sarah sighed. "Oh I wish they would sink back into the bog…" she murmured. Her eyes went wide as the rocks did just that, leaving no trace of ever having been there.

"How did you do that?" Katie asked in awe.

Sarah placed a hand over her mouth as a voice in her head mocked her. 'What's said is said.' "OH no," she moaned. "Come on," Sarah moved toward the embankment before them. "We don't have time to stop and analyze." Katie followed her.

--

Hoggle, peering into the crystal looked up at the King. "How did she do that?"

Jareth smiled softly. "A little gift I gave her before she ever stepped into our Kingdom."

"Why would you be giving her gifts?" Demanded the outraged dwarf, Jareth ignored him and went on looking in the orb. Hoggle sniffed and snorted. "I don't like the idea of you giving her gifts."

A soft smile was on the King's lips. Sarah, his Sarah, was once more in his Kingdom. He wasn't taking time to think how or why, just that she was. "How you turned my world, you … precious thing…" he sang softly in a deep and emotion filled voice.

Hoggle placed a hand over the crystal blocking the King's view. "Now just a moment!" He protested hotly. "She's not your precious anything!"

"Care to wager on that?" Asked a King who suddenly appeared quite youthful and excited.

"She's being hunted, remember?" Hoggle tapped the crystal.

Waving the hand of the dwarf off, Jareth ordered the orb; "Show me the demon."

--

Josh sniffed the air; he wondered why he had not been able to follow her scent… why it was her scent seemed everywhere all at once. He turned to his human companions. "Well?"

"David was on his knees. "This way!" he pointed toward the break in the trees. "She went that way… not long ago… the foot falls are still fresh."

The trio moved forward, until both the humans cried out in disgust. The demon snarled. "Stench!"

--

Jareth chuckled softly, while Hoggle paced. "Calm down," the King said peaceably. "It will take that demon a little bit of time to figure out how to cross the bog, and it will give our Sarah time to move on."

"Me Lady?" a voice asked as the Little Knight entered the throne room. "What's this of Me Lady?"

"Sarah's back," Hoggle said pacing.

Sir Didymus moved toward the King and the orb. "She looks beautiful…" murmured the Knight. "So…grown up…."

"Grown up?" Jareth looked at his Captain of the guard. "How do you mean?"

The Knight shrugged. "Well she was barely more than a fair young maiden before, Sire."

Jareth lowered the orb; he had not taken her age into account. Not really… only that she was too old to turn… and too young to…keep. He wondered what other changes had occurred to his Sarah. He raised the orb once more, and gazed into its depth. "How did you come here, my love?" He asked in wonder, before noticing the goblins moving away from the throne. "Anyone like to tell the King what the hell is going on?" He roared suddenly, and little bodies scurried away out of harms way.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8. Leading a merry chase**

Katie appeared to be having the time of her life; she didn't appear to be disturbed in the least that she was no longer on the human plane. She showed no signs of stressing that she was being asked to do what others would think impossible. She was following Sarah, and thus she was content, no make that she was completely overjoyed. "So how did you come to be acquainted with this realm?" she asked as they scaled a wall of rock to a ridge that would act as a path, the younger girl was not even out of breath. "I didn't think most girls of our generation even knew about the Fae Realms… they're more or less forgotten you know."

"I made a big mistake…." Sarah said trying to concentrate on her upward climb to the ledge.

"And that was?" Katie prodded as she found footing and solid ground on the ledge beside Sarah.

Stopping to catch her breath and check her hands Sarah frowned. "I wished Toby away…" Sadness and guilt covered her pretty face as she turned her green eyes toward her companion. "I didn't mean to…" her quick words of explanation still sounded hollow to her. "I was fifteen, and still pissed about Daddy marrying Karen… and…God I was so jealous of Toby and all the attention he was getting." She hugged her hands over her stomach, still feeling the guilty rumblings. "I was angry and hurt, and…so damned spoiled," she felt more then guilty, she felt unworthy.

Katie extended a comforting hand. "That must have been some wish!" she said without judging her friend. "I know I've wished that a thousand times or so about the twins…and they're still here…. Or there…or.. you know what I mean." She snorted lightly with mirth.

"Well, you see there's this tiny, itty bitty clause in the story…" Sarah winced as she started to explain.

"Oh, and what would that be?" Katie smiled softly trying to keep her friend from feeling too guilty.

"What no one knew…" Sarah began and paused, Katie nodded for her to go on. "Was that the Goblin King had fallen in love with the girl, and had given her … certain powers…" she nearly whispered the words, not really wanting to say them aloud.

Katie stared at her mumbling leader. "I didn't get that," she said.

"The King had fallen in love," Sarah said still barely audible.

Shrugging Katie blinked at her friend. "I don't understand…"

Frustrated and irritated and fighting a vexing memory that kept nagging at her, Sarah exploded loudly. "The King fell in love with the girl and gave her certain powers….Alright, are you happy?"

"Your wishes!" Katie looked back down the path in the direction of the bog. "You wished the rocks away and they went…."

"Yeah," Sarah huffed. "I noticed."

"Well can't you wish us out of this?" Katie asked hopefully.

"It doesn't work like that," Sarah sighed. "I already tried. I must have said something while we were being chased… but I'll be damned if I can recall what I said… I must have made a wish…"

Katie frowned, "So this Goblin King gives you powers as a gift, and you're not sure how to use this…gift… are you?"

"Nope;" Turning Sarah led the way to the other side of the ridge that covered the embankment. "I haven't a clue…." She heard a cracking noise and rolled her eyes. "Stay close." But Katie asked another question instead of moving on.

"So just how well do you know this Goblin King?"

--

The horde of goblins gathered in the King's throne room were shoving, pushing and milling about trying to get behind someone as if to hide. Finally they thrust the mustached goblin forward again, and again he was forced into being the spokesperson.

"Well, Sire…." His knees knocked together as he stood shaking and quaking before Jareth. "It's like this…." He looked about for a likely scapegoat and found none. "When she went home… and had that lovely party…." He saw a dark shadow cross the face of the King and rushed past that part. "We thought it behooved us to keep an eye on her for you…" He removed his horned helmet, holding it over his chest like a shield. "We thought you'd approve… sort of… and we… well… we liked her…"

Jareth's shadow of anger passed quickly, "I liked her too," he admitted.

"Bah," commented the pacing dwarf. "You liked her."

Ignoring the dwarf Jareth looked with humor at his goblins. "So you little devils have been going back and forth…. Does Sarah know this?"

The one speaking looked behind him, and saw that no one else was going to speak up. "I don't thinks so sir," he answered. "She doesn't even seem to see us most of the time…"

"Girl looks right through us…" one said from behind another taller Goblin.

"All this time?" The King asked quietly. "You've been keeping watch and care of Sarah all this time?"

"Her and the boy," the tall one said still twitching as he answered.

"The boy," Jareth leaned back, thinking of his golden child who had slipped through his fingers thanks in part to the bravery and dauntlessness of Sarah Williams. "He must be growing into a fine little man…" For a moment the youthfulness seemed to decrease and the Fae King seemed to show more of his age, and then it was gone… He was youthful and vibrant once more. He raised the orb, and gazed in. "Show me Sarah."

--

Josh studied the bog, saw that it narrowed beyond where a bridge had once stood and guessed they could cross it at the narrowest point. He shoved both his human companions forward.

Bill moved ahead faster than David did, and excitedly he called back to his master. "There's a little slope here, looks like this is where this thing ends." He rushed forward and before he could stop himself had slid down the slop to within inches of the bubbling bog. He cried out as one geyser sprouted up out of nowhere and he was hit with a spray of the slimy waters. "Oh my God, it's worse than a skunk…." He yelped.

Josh made a scowling face at him as he carefully footed his way above the now stench covered minion. "Idiot," he snarled down at the young man covered now in slimy goo. "They'll smell us coming with you… You'll have to stay here, where you can not be smelt."

Bill, crestfallen and chastised, moaned. "Master, no… don't leave me behind."

David motioned Bill to be silent, but it was too late. Josh raised his hand and the goo covered young man began to harden into stone. Turning to David, Josh raise his now pointed brow. "Any comments?"

"No, master," David lowered his eyes swiftly.

"Onward." The demon ordered.

--

Sarah looked nonplused; she cast her eyes down for a moment, focusing on an answer that would not come. "I can't explain." She said at last. "My relationship with and to the King is complicated at best." She moved toward the ledge and began to inch her way across the span.

"So what kind of Goblin is he?" Katie asked unable to let it go.

"He's not," Sarah answered moving ahead.

Following her, the younger girl frowned. "He's not what?"

"A Goblin," Sarah murmured. "He's a Fae."

"A Fae!" Katie barked. "You're telling me the Goblin Realm is ruled by a Fae?"

Sarah looked at her over her shoulder. "Watch where you're stepping!" She warned and the younger girl looked down to see a missing piece of the ledge.

"A Fae," she muttered with a smirk. "So is he old and wrinkled?"

"No," Sarah snapped.

"OH," Katie began to smile like a loon. "So is he young?"

"No," Sarah repeated, without the snapping sound at the end of the word this time.

"Not old, not young… what is he?"

"Mature…" Sarah tried not to think of the King, it only cause her anguish and torment.

"How mature," Katie continued the line of questioning as they reached the other side of the ledge and entered a path into another part of forest. "I mean is he old enough to be your father?"  
"I have no idea of how old he is…" Sarah growled, then looking at the girl she sighed deeply. "He's not a kid, okay, but he's not an old man either."

Taking Sarah's reaction and words into accord, the younger girl asked teasingly, "Is he handsome?"

--

Jareth held his breath, not entirely sure he want to know the answer, but unable to look away or lower the orb.

--

Sarah closed her eyes, "Oh God yes…" she hissed slowly. "He's gorgeous." She opened her eyes and motioned Katie to follow her. "He's tall, and lean, and looks like he could move mountains with a thought… He's blonde… and has eyes that look like storms at sea… one deeper than the other... Sort of mismatched, but God I could have looked into them forever…." She looked at the path, and heard the noise she didn't want to hear. "The Chilly Downs…" she murmured to herself grabbing Katie's arm. "Stay right at my side, hear me?"

--

There was ever so slightly the color of a blush on the King's cheeks. "She thinks I'm… gorgeous," he whispered breathlessly elated.

"Bah," the quip from the gnomish little dwarf came harshly. "She also likes stray dogs and cats."

There was a gasp among the goblins that backed away from Hoggle fearful of what the King would do to him. Instead of punishing the little man, the King smiled coldly. "Envious?" He asked.

"She kissed me, not you!" Barked the gardener; "And I wasn't trying to romance her."

The words had been meant to cut, to hurt and to insult. Instead they illuminated the truth to Jareth. The Goblin King moved away from his throne, once more drawn to the window. "That's a good point, Hogsteeth…. Thank you."

Hoggle turned to the goblin at his said, "What did I Say?"

--

The forest seemed to get darker, thicker with trees and with dangers. She could feel the air change, and Sarah knew the Chilly Downs were close by. "Let me do all the talking." She warned Katie who also heard the strangest sounds she'd ever encountered. There was snickering, and cackling as well as hands clapping. Sarah knew the dramatic little antagonists would soon appear, this time she was ready for them. The path narrowed, the trees were thicker here, Sarah held tightly to Katie's hand.

The sound of sticks being tapped together filled the air, there was a savage laugh, and then it appeared. The leader of the Fiery Chilly Downs, it was just as Sarah remembered it being. A bit fox like in appearance covered in red-pink-purplish and orange fur, bounding about on chicken like legs. Big blue eyes with red pupils staring out wildly, it looked at Sarah and for a moment recognized her as the girl whose head they could not take off.

"Lady came back to play!" he shouted joyously. "The Lady came back," he shouted toward the trees. His exlimation brought out the others, who now moved swiftly into the tiny space that was left of the path.

"Sarah?" Katie whispered hoarsely. "What are they?"

"Fiery Chilly Downs…" Sarah stated, tucking the younger girls arm closer. "Stay with me!" Sarah pulled her closer before she advanced on the leader of the group gathered about them clapping hands and stomping feet, tapping fingers and making a strange music as they did. "Want to play a game?" she asked boldly.

The leader looked surprised and frowned. "Haven't finished the last game we played."

"Yes we did," Sarah insisted. "I won…"

The leader blinked, scratched his head and pulled off an ear. "You did?"

Katie had gasped when the ear was waggled at them, but Sarah ignored it. "Yes, I won." Her insistence was echoed by the other creatures in the clearing. "Now I get to choose the game."

"OH," The leader smiled a wild childlike smile. "New game," he cried out waving his arms over his head. He turned to Sarah and moved closer. "What kind of game are we going to play?"

"It's called hot potato!" Sarah said picking up a spud shaped rock at her foot. "You know what a potato is?" They all laughed and assured her they did, she showed them the rock, "This is going to be the potato," She motioned Katie to stand across from her. "Now watch." She tossed the rock gently to her friend while crying, "Hot potato…" Katie repeated the motions.

The creatures formed a circle, with Katie and Sarah as part of the circle. Round and round the rock was tossed. Then Sarah said, "Now that you've got the idea we can play without being confined to the circle." She tossed the rock to one of the creatures as she moved away from the circle. The rock went round and round, until it fell from the hands of one of the creatures. He struck his long fingers on the ground picking it up, flames igniting and touching the rock. Soon each of the creatures was igniting their fingers and heating up the rock. Sarah had pulled Katie out of the circle and they rushed down the path. "That will keep them busy," Sarah said as they moved up a slope and toward what looked like another bit of all. "There's a hedge maze up ahead."

--

Jareth looked over at Hoggle, "While I have no problem with Sarah paying us a little visit, nor with her bringing a guest," he pulled on his chin softly. "I do have a problem with being invaded by a demon and his followers."

The dwarf looked at the King with confussion. "Don't you think we should rescue Sarah?"

"Why?" Questioned the young King, "She's managing just fine for now…"

"She's being chased by a demon," Hoggle growled.

Jareth nodded, "I know."

"Well?" the dwarf demanded.

"Well what?" the King took a seat on the window sill and looked out at his Kingdom, and his wonderful Labyrinth.

"Well don't you think we should go rescue her from the demon?"

Leaning back, letting the soft breeze caress his face the King smiled. "I see no reason to rush off, she's got things well in hand…and she's not asked for help."

Disbelief filled the eyes of the dwarf, could the King have lost his mind?

Jareth looked thoughtfully at his Kingdom. "I do however think we need to address this business of the demon thinking he could just traipse though my Kingdom and not have consequences." He raised the orb in his hand and concentrated on the Demon. Its image appeared in the orb.

--

The demon Josh appeared in the clearing, and without warning was struck by a spud shaped rock that was red hot. "Hot potato," he heard called out as the rock struck him in the back between the shoulder blades. He went down, and before he could rise again felt long fingers striking flames and picking up the rock that was on his back.

"Hot potato!" a voice cackled happily.

Josh looked up to see the wild creature just before it dashed into the trees. His own eyes flashed red flames, how dare that thing strike him down… he pulled himself up to his knees and again went down as he was again struck by the hot rock.

David was still in the thicket of trees, watching. He had been following the demon leader, and fell behind tripping over roots that now gnarled on the path. He saw a glimpse of the creatures, saw the red hot rock strike his leader, and the creatures dash to where Josh lay on the ground. He held back from rushing forward when he heard the demon roar. When Josh rose this time there was little of the human glamour left. His face had gone long and narrow, his features had seemed to become pointed and sharpened. His eyes were now red flames and his teeth were long and jagged. He roared as he rose up, grabbing one of the Fierys, ripping off its head and tossing the head one way and the body another. David didn't have time to warn his leader that the parts were still alive as another Fiery rushed toward Josh shrieking something about taking his head off.

--

Jareth laughed, nearly toppling himself out of the window sill. "Oh Sarah, my cleaver, cleaver girl," he praised joyously. "How in the world did you think of that?" He lowered his hand with the orb so Hoggle could see the trap Sarah had set for the demon. "Still think she needs rescuing?" The Goblin King challenged.

Hoggle shrugged, and stared at the orb. "She's leading them to the maze."

Jareth nodded. "She's going back, to the beginning."

The dwarf frowned. "That's not the way out," he said firmly.

Stretching out, the young King snickered. "She's not looking for a way out, Hoggle."

"That does not make sense," Hoggle snorted.

Sir Didymus, listening to the banter between King and subject, sighed. "She's moving away from the castle."

Jareth looked at the Knight with a soft smile. "Or so she thinks."

Both Didymus and Hoggle looked at one another.

--

Sarah looked at the wall and its wooden door in an arched doorway. A fleeting smile made its way up the face of the girl. On the other side would be the two talking knockers, one with its ears stopped up and the other with a full mouth. She knew where she was, and led the way toward the arches with confidence. "On the other side of those arches is a sort of garden."

"Sounds interesting," Katie said quietly. "Any traps I should know of?"

"No, just two talking door knockers," Sarah said in a pleasant tone.

Katie turned to look at her and huffed out a long breath. "Lead on McDuff."

Sarah looked back toward the path they had just taken, and hoped that the fiery gang were keeping Josh and who ever was with him busy.

--

Jareth watched as the Fiery Gang from the Chilly Downs gave the demon as good as they got. They had done what Sarah had hoped they would do, they had bought her time. The King looked at his goblin subjects. "She's very smart," he commented proudly. "And motivated."

"Yeah saving her skin," Hoggle thought out loud.

Jareth shook his head, "No, saving the other girl with her." He tossed the orb upward where it burst like a soap bubble. "Nothing motivates Sarah Williams better than getting to play the Heroine… and this time, I'm not the villain…"

"You're not even a player as far as I can see," snapped the dwarf.

The King smiled peacefully. "Not yet," he agreed as he slipped off the sill and walked toward the stairs that lead to another part of the castle.

"Where are you going?" Hoggle demanded.

"To change," Jareth called over his shoulder.

"Into what;" growled the irritated dwarf.

"Into a prince charming," whispered the King as he nearly danced up the steps.

Hoggle turned to Didymus who pretended to be busy.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9. A dangling proposition**

Sarah found the latch that opened the door and she and Katie stepped though into the ivy covered landing on the other side of the archway. Closing the door Sarah smiled at the Knocker with the mouth full. "Hello handsome," she teased lightly. The Knocker winked at her, and Katie giggled. Taking a moment, Sarah looked at the sky, "It's getting lighter, must be getting near sunrise."

"Time must run differently here." Katie agreed. "How long do you think we've been in here?"

Shrugging the girl with green eyes looked about the little place where the two arched doors stood in the walls. "I have no idea, as you said… time runs differently here," Sarah then muttered; "Forwards, backwards, sometimes sideways…" She paused in her muttering to check on Katie. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm having a great time," Katie crowed. "This is way better than that dance."

Laughing, Sarah looked about her, "It's just as I remember it… of course I was going the other way when I was here last time."

"Too bad it was not an option this time, I have loved to have seen what was left of the castle." Katie looked at the doors and the knockers. "So what's that way?" she looked at the path opening up to them.

"Oh just a garden maze… some goblins if we're lucky… and an old man with a very talkative hat;" Sarah mused as she pulled her boots smoothly up her legs. "Ready?"

Katie nodded; she too was making costume adjustments. "This is such fun Sarah!"

Sarah skipped down the few steps of the platform; "Yeah, like a root canal."

Katie followed her swiftly. "No, I'm serious," she said with a happy voice. "I've always wanted to be part of a fairy tale… I mean a real old fashioned, gory deep dark fairy tale! This is such an adventure."

"One you can never talk about to anyone," Sarah said sadly. "I learned that when I got back the last time… I had to pretend I didn't see the goblins… have you any idea of how hard it is to ignore a goblin?" Her voice sounded poignantly heartbreaking.

--

Jareth called for his valet, "I need to change my garments… I need something…. Heroic."

Roland, the valet who had served with the Goblin King for many years, looked at his master with questioning eyes. "Heroic, Sire?"

"Yes, something that says I'm a warrior, not just a pretty face." Jareth paced with his hands behind his back; "Something that will be… strong, but not over powering, something serious and yet fun… something romantic but not sissy."

Most of the elf staff who had served with the King knew his tastes, and Roland was no exception. He had the honor of taking care of the King's belongs, and knew what the King liked and didn't like. "Something formal?" he asked trying to get a firm idea.

"No," gasped the King. "That frightened her away the last time."

"Her," Roland repeated, one brow rising ever so slightly. He had heard the goblins gossiping and had heard all the rumored tales of the Girl who had bested the Goblin King and had won back her brother. "The lady has returned?"

"Yes," Jareth stated softly, with a pleased look on his face. "But it has to be something that will sweep her off her pretty little feet."

"Might I suggest something from the last visit then, before you scared her off?" Roland went to the large armoire wardrobe. He opened it and reached into find the charcoal breeches and the cream colored silk poet shirt.

Jareth looked at the garments, and instantly recalled Sarah's face in the tunnels. The light banter over the miss pronunciation of Hoggle's name, and her defiance toward him, that and the way she could not take her eyes off of him. He looked at the garments and nodded. "The dragon's hide jerkin too, if you please, Roland. I think this is exactly what she needs to see." He moved toward his bathing area. "My riding boots also, I'm going to freshen up… want to look my best when I see her."

Roland smiled to himself; he'd not seen his King so pleased in too long a time.

--

Josh growled as he and David found their way though the winding path in the tight trees. The creatures had tired of trying to pull him apart and had run off once more with their rock to play hot potato. David, who had stayed hidden until then, joined Josh quietly. Josh was not muttering loudly about what he intended to do to Sarah once he caught up with her. He was no longer concerned with getting her out of the Underground, he wanted revenge and he wanted it to be swift and horrible. David walked with the demon, seemingly unconcerned that what had been human in appearance was not now.

--

Sarah looked at wall that was covered with ivy, and the rope still hanging from the tree. "This is where I met Ludo," she said looking at the rope.

"Ludo?"

Turning to her companion, Sarah nodded. "He's a large orange sweet tempered beast…." She pointed up. "He was hanging here, being tortured by some rowdy little goblins… I wonder where they are…" She looked about and shrugged before pointing toward the ivy covered wall and an opening. "We go through there, and we'll arrive in a hedge maze… just past that is the old man…."

"With the talkative hat?" Katie asked lightly.

"Hard to explain, you have to experience it." Sarah sighed. Hearing a noise she placed her hand on the hilt of the riding crop. "Wish I'd thought to bring a sword for both of us…."

As they entered the archway, Katie snickered. "You were saying?" she bent down, picked up two swords the right length for females.

"I have got to learn what triggers that," Sarah slide the sword that was hers into her belt. "Remind me next time to wish for scabbards as well."

--

Jareth stood looking at his reflection, "Yes, yes, that's very good Roland."

The valet used a brush to make sure there was not dust on the master's garments. "I recall hearing the dwarf say he thought you were very imposing and masterful in this selection."

"I don't care what the dwarf thinks," the King murmured. "All that matters is Sarah."

"If I may," the valet side stepped, came to the front and faced the King. "Just how do you intend to … reacquaint yourself with the young lady?"

Jareth smiled, "I intend to be there when she has need of me." He drew a crystal from the air, and the girl's image filled the sphere. "She's coming close to where the old wise man sits…"

"There's a path to the castle under him," Roland said gazing into the orb. "On the other side of the tunnel of false alarms…"

"I don't doubt that our guest will be heading for the tunnel," Jareth smiled softly. "She seems to be giving her companion a backwards guided tour." He flicked his wrist and the orb vanished smoothly. "I'm going into the Labyrinth to keep a closer eye on her."

A moment later he too was gone, leaving the valet alone in the chamber when it was invaded by a very irate little dwarf. "Where's that rat?" bellowed the gardener.

"Gone," Roland stated calmly. He had never liked dealing with certain members of the King's subjects. Of all the subjects Roland disliked, Hoggle was at the top of the list.

Hoggle gripped the arm of the servant roughly. "Gone where?"

Not seeing any reason to lie or hold back, Roland smiled and answered. "Into the Labyrinth."

"He's gone after her, hasn't he?" accused the gnomish little man. "He's gonna try and romance her yet again!" He stomped his foot and stormed out of the chamber.

Roland watched him exit with amusement, "Yes, and this time he'll succeed."

--

Closing her eyes, Sarah made a mental map of which turn and which aisle she'd traveled. Slowly she inched her way though the maze with Katie at her side. She heard strange sounds and looked about, but could not see anyone. They moved up and down and through until they reached the archway that opened into the topiary garden where the old man sat on a stone throne like chair, dozing off. On his head was the strange bird like hat. Both girls moved toward the pair on the stone chair.

The hat craned its neck, and looked down it's beak at the pair. "You I don't know," he said sharply to Katie, before turning swiftly toward Sarah. "There are no returns, sorry that's the policy."

Sarah placed her hand on the hilt of her sword, and tried to strike a pose that said she was confident and capable. "You can keep the ring," she said huffily. "I got my information and it was useful."

The bird's head pulled back boisterously, its eyes popping open as it's jaw dropped. "It was?" it gasped in disbelief.

"Of course it was," she announced.

The bird looked at the new companion at Sarah's side. "Traded the dwarf in?" he asked mockingly. "I would have too!" The man sleeping under the hat mumbled and shifted positions; his hand now cradled his heavy head. The hat squawked at being jostled. "Easy there, you old fool." He returned his attention to Sarah. "So what can we do for you this time?"

"Not a bloody thing," Sarah said crossing her arms over her chest akimbo. "I know exactly where I am and where I am going."

"Ha!" the bird mocked.

Katie watched quietly as Sarah wrangled verbally with the bird. At this point she was not too sure who was ahead.

"Oh by the way," Sarah said as she turned toward the direction of the urn that had been her escape opening from the tunnels below. "You might like to know we're being chased… and I think the fellow chasing us is not in a very good mood….so if I were you I'd hide."

"Wake up you old fool!" the bird squawked.

"Oh and the charge for that info," Sarah reached into the donation box in the old man's hand, and as she suspected her ring was still in it. She fastened her fingers on the ring and pulled it out. "Is one ring."

"Cheat!" cried the bird.

"Look in a mirror," Sarah slid the garnet ring from her mother back onto her hand. "Now you'd best be off..," Sarah grabbed Katie by the arm and dragged her away. "Come on, we've got a long climb down."

--

Hoggle found Jareth sitting in the garden, with the orb in his hand. "How far has she gotten?"

"She just tricked the bird to get her ring back," Jareth said keeping his eyes on the orb.

"She called me her friend there," Hoggle sighed remembering.

"Little did she know," Jareth teased.

Hoggle sat on a stone tree stump, "It was all your fault that I was forced into tricking her…."

"Who is king?" the man with the orb asked softly.

The dwarf looked up at him, a frown creasing his brow. "You know damn well that you are…."

"And to whom do you owe your allegiance?"

Again the dwarf frowned. "That's not the point," he muttered.

"Of course it is," Jareth lowered the orb and looked at Hoggle. "I gave you an order and you disobeyed me… that my fine fellow is treason."

"She's too good for you," Hoggle argued.

"Too good or not," again the orb was lifted. "She's mine…"

--

Sarah pointed to an urn just as the sounds of a roar filled the air. "Company," she groaned. "Come on, in we go…"

Katie looked at the urn and frowned, she could see under the table holding it up. "We'll be caught," she argued. "We can't hide in there…."

Sarah pulled the girl to the top of the table and pointed into the urn. "There's a ladder, be careful going down."

Katie looked into the urn and found the top of a rickety old ladder. "How?"

"Magic," stated the green eyed girl as she urged the other into the urn. "Hurry… we have little time…." She bent down to pick up the lid that was beside the urn on the table. She scurried up over the lid, hooked her legs onto the ladder and as she lowered her self, capped the urn.

--

Josh's feet broke free of the restraints of what was left of his shoes. His long pointed toenails dug into the stones of the path of the maze. He sniffed the air like a hound from hell and howled as he followed the girls scent. "This way," he gruffly ordered his lackey. They moved past the headge, coming into contact with a goblin riding a little wingless dragon. The goblin guard screamed, turned his dragon defensively and rushed off the other way to sound an alarm.

--

Jareth looked up as the alarm sounded, "I think our unwanted guest has been seen."

Hoggle looked perplexed. "How did a demon manage to wander in here anyway?"

Giving the question a bit of thought, Jareth sighed. "He must be a hybrid, only part demon…."

"What you going to do about it?" The gardener asked.

"Nothing for now," the King looked back at the orb in his hand. "She's almost in the tunnel.

"No cleaners!" warned the dwarf hotly.

"Of course not," Jareth said with a smile, he remembered the last time and the sight of the girl scurrying into the tunnel ahead of the machine manned by his goblins.

Hoggle was not as amused by the memory. "It wasn't funny."

--

Sarah found the path cleared, she looked the direction that the cleaners had chased her and disappeared into. Much as she wanted to explore that way, she felt she needed to stick to the course and go back the route that had brought her here. She wondered what was on the other side, but that would have to wait. Katie helped her take down the ladder and lay it on the stone floor of the room below the urn. Sarah looked down the long tunnel she'd run and motioned the other girl to follow her closely.

"What is this place?" Katie asked seeing cobwebs that were torn apart.

"It's the tunnels under the Labyrinth," Sarah explained. "Some go to the castle, I'm sure, and others lead to the outer ring of the Labyrinth."

"And this one?"

"Leads to an oubliette," Sarah sounded troubled. She looked about, and pointed toward a chamber farther up. "Be careful, follow me;" The chamber widened and on the floor was a rag doll and a blue cloak. Sarah stopped and stared.

"A rag doll?" Katie bent down to inspect the remains of the beggar costume.

Sarah bent over and pulled the cloak off the dusty floor of the tunnel. "It was a disguise the King used when he was… keeping tabs on me." Suddenly she swung the cloak, it furled as she placed it over her shoulders. She reached down again, snagging the tri cornered hat. Her fingers ripped the mock nose free and tossed it away. The hat she placed on her own head, giving her a bit of a buccaneer style.

Katie stood up when she heard a howling at the far end of tunnel. "Which way?" she asked quickly.

Sarah lead her, the false alarms began to bellow… "Not this way," and "Go back, before it's too late", Sarah and her companion ignore them. Sarah found the fork in the tunnel, moved to the left side of the fork taking Katie with her. Upon seeing the opening in the rock wall ahead, she motioned for the girl enter the arched entry. She came in behind her, pulled the door off the wall after closing it and placed the bench back down on the floor. "Welcome to my oubliette." She stated as she moved into the round room. On the table the candle was still burning, as if it had only just been lit.

Katie's hand was on the wall where the door had been. "How… did you know?"

"That's how Hoggle got me out of here… so I figured it had to work in reverse…." Sarah looked at the table and at the opening above in the rounded dome ceiling. "This is the way up," she pulled the bench toward the table. "Help me put the bench up here…"

Katie was still looking at the rock wall. "What about Josh? Won't he find us?"

"Not a chance," Sarah said with confidence. "The Labyrinth has thousands of Oubliettes… Hoggle said the place was loaded with them…And once you take the opening off the wall, the rock becomes solid again… there's no way he can even smell us."

"You're sure?" asked the younger girl, joining Sarah at the table, and helping to life up the bench.

"I'm sure," Sarah stated firmly as she made sure the bench was stable. "Okay, we need to open the cover, and climb up." She shoved until the cover gave way and rose up. "Hey hands, are you there?" she called up into the shaft above.

"Whatda want?" a voice called back.

"We need to go up…" Sarah motioned Katie to come to her. She made a cup with her hands and boosted Katie up into the shaft. "Going up!" she ordered the hands that gripped the girl being shoved their direction.

Katie squealed as they swiftly moved her up ward. "Hey watch what you're grabbing!" she warned.

"Sorry," a voice said

Sarah looked around the room, feeling something was wrong. "Hurry Katie," she urged.

--

Jareth looked at the gardener, "Come on Hogs head, the girl is going to need us." The king moved swiftly toward the secret passage that few knew of. Hoggle followed without bothering to complain.

--

Katie was shoved up over the rim of the opening above by the hands. She crouched down and watches as Sarah was being lifted. The ground beneath her began to tremor, "Sarah!" she called out.

Sarah felt the first tremor, as the hands holding her shook wildly. "Keep going," she urged the hands. "Up!"

She was only a few feet away, then just over a foot from the opening when the largest tremor struck. She heard Katie scream as the hands suddenly disappeared. From above, Katie's hand shot down and gripped Sarah's. "Hold on," the younger girl begged. "Hold on Sarah."

Dangling precariously, Sarah looked down, the tremors had not only knocked the table and bench over but the cover had slammed shut. She gave a yelp as the rough walls of the shaft seemed to buffet her. Katie was trying to pull her up but Sarah's weight was dragging them both in. "I can't hold you," moaned the younger girl.

Sarah felt the hand holding hers give way and slip. She cried out as the hand lost its grip, she expected to plummet into the darkness and most likely break her neck. Just before she began to fall something shot into the darkness of the tunnel and grasped her wrist. Looking up the green eyes was met in kind by two beautiful mismatched stormy blue ones. She swallowed. "Don't let me go," her voice shook with fear, she knew at fall would mean death. "Please don't let me go…"

"Never," the firm answer came as she was lifted by the herculean strength of the Fae King.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10. Reunion**

He gently lifted her out of the shaft and on to firm ground; his hand never left her wrist. Once out of the shaft and on safe ground, the King moved his free hand and the shaft covered over. "You're alright now," he assured the girl who was still trembling. "Hello Sarah," he murmured in a husky voice.

Sarah could see that Katie was trembling and being kept back by Hoggle. The King, still holding her wrist assured her, "Your friend is just frightened, she's alright…Sarah."

Turning her eyes back to the ones that were gazing at her, Sarah opened her mouth to speak. She looked at the man who had haunted her dreams, the man who left all others in the dust. He was dashing and daring and she could feel her body temperature rise just looking at him. Dressed in the same outfit he'd worn when he'd confronted her in the tunnels the leathery jerkin which was fitted to his ever so fit frame, the breeches that left nothing to her wild imagination and the well worn leather boots. His eyes were gazing at her with the same intense heat as they had when he had danced with her in the enchanted ballroom. He was here, he had saved her, he had pulled her to safety and he was no dream. He was so close; the wonderful spicy scent that was his own flooded Sarah's senses. Sarah stared at him; words didn't seem to find their way out. She looked franticly about her, but was unable to say more than; "Thank you."

Raising her wrist, he placed a gentle kiss to the back of her hand. "You're welcome, Sarah."

She looked for a moment at the hand once he released it, dazed for a moment. Turning her face up to his she moved closer, placing her arms about his waist, and hugging the person who she'd seen as her foe on her last journey. "OH Jareth, I'm so glad to see you." She blurted out as she buried her face in his chest.

Gently his arms wound about her, "Are you?" he teased softly and tenderly. There was humor in his tone, not anger and the girl hugged him closer. "That's a nice change."

Sarah looked up at him, "You have no idea…."

He crinkled up his nose as he smiled at her. "I have some…." He looked over at Katie and Hoggle. "Sarah, won't you introduce us?"

Nodding, she moved toward Katie. "Katie, this is Jareth, the Goblin King… Jareth this is my friend Katie Langford."

Katie looked from the King back to Sarah, astonishment and surprise registering on her features. "This is the Goblin King?"

"You've heard of me?" He asked good naturedly, seeing the girls perplexed surprise.

Katie looked at Sarah, "This is the Goblin King, the one you called… mature?"

Looking a bit affronted, Jareth crossed his arms. "I beg your pardon, mature?" He looked at Sarah expecting an explanation. "Mature?"

"Well," she gasped defensively. "You're not old, and you're no kid either!"

Cocking his head to one side, he gave her a sly smile; "Depends on your point of view." He teased gently. "There are some among my folk who think I'm just a kid…"

"Right," scoffed Sarah, falling into the bantering that was normal between her and the King.

Jareth lowered his arms, smiled softly at the girl. "Sarah, I've missed you." He placed his hands on her forearms, giving her a gentle shake. "No one in the Kingdom can argue with me like you… you defiant little wench."

"Could we move it along?" Hoggle snapped. "Demon running amuck in the tunnels, remember?"

"Demon?" Sarah asked.

Jareth extended a hand to her, "You should know… it followed you in."

"No," Sarah said in denial. "I was being chased by…" She stopped, thought about her answers and looked at the King. "I was being chased by a demon?"

"Bright girl," he teased pulling her closer and motioning Hoggle and Katie to him. "The safest place for you right now is my castle."

"What's left of it," Sarah lamented.

Jareth laughed as they vanished.

--

In the tunnel, Josh ripped at the rocks where the entry had been. He could still feel the girl's presence. His hands, or claws as they now appeared, dug into the rock and ripped an opening into the oubliette. David followed him into the round empty room. The creature sniffed the air and howled.

--

They appeared in the throne room, Jareth, Hoggle and the two girls. The King called out for the latest information on the demon invader. He had released Sarah's hand and was now moving about the circular room freely. Sarah let out a gleeful shriek to greet Sir Didymus as the little knight bounded toward her, the blue cloak fluttered about her wildly like wings of a giant bird. Sinking to her knees she hugged him closely. Katie watched, numb with surprise, but feeling a sense of joy at this reunion. The tri-cornered hat had fallen off Sarah's head, and now lay on the floor where two goblins began to squabble over it.

Jareth turned, saw the girl greet the knight warmly and held back from interrupting as long as he could. At last he cleared his throat, "Sir Didymus, if you would." He kept his tone to the old knight polite and respectful, knowing it would impress Sarah that he had.

The Knight excused himself and joined the King for private conversation. Sarah rose to her feet and looked at Katie who was looking about the throne room in awe. "Somebody's been cleaning," Sarah muttered as she too looked about the room. Gone were the wild animals, gone were the piles of bones and remains of uneaten meals. Gone too was the keg of ale from the corner. The room had been cleaned and put to order.

Jareth had finished giving orders, Didymus moved off to the exit with a group of guards. The King, seeing the girl's reaction to the changes moved toward her. "You approve?"

"Yes," she said waving about. "It's much more regal."

"Not as much fun!" companied a chorus of goblin voices.

Placing his hands clasped behind his back, Jareth examined the garment that covered Sarah. "What is that thing you are wearing?" the tone sounded remotely akin to how he'd asked Hoggle about the bracelet she'd traded him for information and aide.

Sarah looked down at the cloak and pulled it tightly about her. "Nothing," she said before she could stop herself.

"Nothing," he repeated and they both heard the unspoken Tra la la. Wickedly the King grinned. "I believe that cloak is mine," he said mischievously. "And I should like its return, thank you." He extended one hand, expecting her to obey.

Sarah pulled the cloak tighter. "I don't think so," she said shaking her head.

"Oh you don't?" He scoffed much as he had when he'd first met her.

"You don't want me to take this off, trust me;" She pouted.

Hoggle took hold of Katie's elbow and pulled her out of the line of fire.

"Why?" inquired the King haughtily; "Are you gross under there? Night of the living dead under there? Or are you naked?" He leaned closer. "That would not bother me at all, I assure you."

"You pervert," Sarah accused gasping as she began to giggle. "No I'm not naked."

"Too bad," Jareth kidded tauntingly. "Come, come," he snapped his fingers. "That thing must be uncomfortable…."

"Less uncomfortable than you seeing what's under it." Sarah grumbled.

He moved behind her, placed his hands on the shoulder of the cloak, "I'm the Goblin King, Sarah…nothing you could do, would be of a surprise to me." He tugged at the cloak, pulling it off her shoulders and away from her. He could see her eyes close tight as he tossed the blue garment over to the squabbling goblins. "Well, well… what have we here?" He taunted. "Why Sarah, I'm touched… you dressed like me." He heard her groan, his hands caught her shoulders again, and swiftly he placed his lips at her ear to whispered. "I approve." He felt her tremble and heard the growl in her throat as her head fell back to his shoulder. "My precious thing," he crooned.

Turning Sarah looked at the King, "I didn't dress like you," she denied softly.

"You did," he said tapping her nose with his index finger.

Hoggle cleared his throat, and interrupted the banter. "Demon…" he reminded them.

Jareth looked down at Sarah's costume, purred in the back of his throat, and then moved away. "I'm afraid I need to ask you some questions, Miss Williams." He addressed her formally. "As it was you the demon followed into the Kingdom, you're only one who can give us information on how this came to pass."

"I don't know," Sarah said shrugging, as she pretended that the King's devouring gaze didn't turn her on. "One moment we're being forced off the road toward the city dump… the next I'm in your junkyard."

One elegant brow rose, the eyes of the King looked skeptical. "That's not possible." He informed her.

"And yet here I am," she quipped saucily.

'Tantalizing wench,' the King thought to himself. "Sarah, don't try me…" he warned gently.

"I haven't even begun to try you," she let her lashes flutter at him, enticing him.

"Little girl," he rumbled in a low tone. "You've no idea of the fire you're playing with…."

"Do you?" she asked coquettishly.

Every eye in the chamber, goblin, human and dwarf was not focused on the King and the mortal girl. There was no mistaking the tension or the game being initiated. Breaths were held as the ruler of the goblin Kingdom gave thought as how best to answer the young woman. "Were we not in danger right now Sarah, I'd love to show you;" He kept control, barely. "Now, tell me everything you recall."

Sarah dropped the coquettish act and focused. "We were at a school dance, and I tossed this lame ass boy out on his sorry ass…"

"You dress like this for a dance?" the King sounded disappointed.

"No, this was to make a point… he rail-roaded me into being elected Homecoming Queen… A position I neither sought nor wanted." Her lips thinned as she spoke of the incident. "Josh Morgan thought he could humiliate me, I don't know how he planned on doing it at the dance, but I know what he was planning to do once he had me trapped in the city dump." The King motioned for her to continue. Taking a deep breath, and veiling her eyes with her lashes, Sarah said in a gush. "He planned to rape both Katie and I." She heard the crunch and opened her eyes to see the hand at the King's side flexing and the knuckles crack once more. "I was not about to allow that to happen…"

"I should hope not," the King agreed.

"I noticed the shadows moving the way they do when Goblins are about…" she paused, looked at the King and smiled. "Did you know the Goblins make a habit of visiting me?"

Casting an eye toward the guilty parties, the King sighed. "I've just recently learned this fact."

"Well I saw them and figured I might as well use their help…they were giving us the distraction we needed to escape," Sarah narrowed her eyes, squinting and thinking. "I told Katie to head toward the gully… and then…" she gasped. "I said 'I wish I could find a way out of here, right now.'" She looked at the King, who nodded. "The next thing I know piles of trash are moving, and Katie and I were headed through a breach in the junkyard wall into the fiery forest."

"Well that explains it," Jareth said moving closer and pulling Sarah into a comforting hug. "Because this Demon, this Josh was in your vicinity when you opened the portal, he was more or less sucked into our realm."

"I can't open portals, I don't have that kind of power!" she protested softly.

Tipping her face up with the lightest of pressure, Jareth smiled down into the green eyes that were fighting the truth. "Care to place a wager on that one, my love?"

"No," she moaned. "Oh Jareth, I'm sooooo sorry… I never meant to let a demon have free run of the Labyrinth…"

A tender light filled the eyes of the Goblin King. "Hush," he whispered. "You came here to escape because your mind told you that you and your companion would be safe here. That's all that matters, Sarah."

Her gaze left his eyes, focused on his lips. "I don't feel so safe right this moment, thank you."

"From me?" he teased. "Oh beloved, you'll never be safe from me…" Katie giggled into her hand and turned her back to compose herself. Jareth pulled back. "For now we'd best address the confrontation with the demon." His face was serious. "After that, we'll discuss playing with fires." He moved toward the throne, "I've sent Didymus and a complement of guards to round up the interlopers and bring them in." He took his seat in the throne.

"Will they be alright up against a demon with mortal followers?" Katie asked the king as she moved toward the throne. "I don't think the other boys were demons, just followers."

The Goblin King graced Katie with a gentle smile. "OH the Goblins will be fine, my dear. This is after all their natural environment… I can't say that for the demon." He looked over at Sarah. "Fortunately this Josh is only a hybrid, a full demon could not be here, not with the wards."

"Wards?" Katie asked, interested by the King's use of words.

"This is Fairyland," Jareth said softly. "We are nestled in the warmth of the Fairy Mists; it keeps us separated from the world of man and the Demon realms as well."

"So the Goblins are Fairies?" Katie asked gently coming to stand beside the throne.

"No," Jareth snickered. "However, the Goblin Kingdom and all the Underground Kingdoms a part of the Fairylands and we are ruled by the High King over the lesser kings."

Sarah watched Jareth interacting with Katie for a moment. He must have felt her gaze, for he looked her way and raised one elegant brow. Sarah felt her face flush, her cheeks warm and the breath catch in her throat. After a moment's discomfort she turned, trying to compose herself and her thoughts. Slowly she began to walk about the throne room, looking at it from a new perspective. This time she was not racing a clock, nor was she battling the Goblins and their King. All the subtle changes piqued her interest, she wondered if the stair room was still there. Edging her way over to the arched entry and steps, she moved up the stairs and took the turn that would lead her to the room where she'd faced her last challenge here.

Jareth, had seen her move toward the stairs, had watched her steal away in quiet. After answering as many of Katie's questions as he could, he excused himself. He moved to the hall and stairwell, a bittersweet smile playing on his lips as he mounted the stairs. He could hear the girl's breathing, he could smell her sweet scent, and he could feel her needs. Pausing he waited until he was sure she was in the room of stairs. He magically placed himself on the platform below her. Awaiting her next move, he stood poised.

Sarah looked at the panorama view; the vast stone hall was as it had been before she'd taken the leap of faith. Staircases, balconies, windows and doorways at different heights and angles; confusing and confounding. There was little hint as to what was up, what was down. No one but a wizard would ever discern what was near, what was far, what was inside or outside this space. Without moving the room seemed to be in flux, what was up becoming down, floors turning to ceiling and walls turning into precipices in constant flow; it was dizzying, and she felt dazed just as she had the first time. She worried about toppling over.

She edged along the platform so her back was to the wall, taking it step by step. She had not planned on going too deeply into the room. Her only desire had been to see if it was once more as it was. Yet the moment she'd entered she seemed driven, by some unseen force, to repeat the journey she'd taken here. She looked toward the end of the platform and the staircase just ahead of her. She took a long deep breath and released it slowly, trying to slow her racing pulse and her growing anticipation. Making her way to the edge of the platform, she peered over; his face peered up at hers.

"I had a feeling you'd be here," he said smoothly before breathing out longingly; "_**How you turned my world you precious thing.**_"

Sarah pulled back quickly; she had known in her soul that he would be on the opposite side of the platform, just as he had been that day so long ago. And just as it had been then, she now found it hard to breath. She pushed her back against the wall terrified of losing herself to this room.

Jareth appeared on the platform across from her, standing sideways on what should have been a wall but was a floor. _**"You stave and near exhaust me,"**_ he accused just as he had the first time. Sarah looked at him, eyes open in defensiveness, and her lips trembled. One moment he was there, the next he was behind her. "_**Everything I've done I've done for you!**_" He claimed as he passed though her to stand on the edge of the platform, giving her a sideways glance. "_**I move the stars for no one,**_" he declared before disappearing over the edge.

Sarah gasped, remembering too late not to look at the room, not to move. Now all the perspectives seemed to meld and she had no idea if she was right side up or upside down. She moved over the platform, through an arch and down a length of stairs to another level of balcony, knowing he was going to come flipping up over the edge.

When he appeared, he was calm as he said. "_**Your eyes can be so cruel**_…" He moved toward her. "_**Just as I can be so cruel**_." Sarah looked at his hands at his side, expecting him to form the crystal just as he had before. His hands remained empty, but slowly as he backed her against the wall they moved to imprison her. "_**But I do believe in you**_," he crooned tenderly.

Sarah's face turned upward, her lips trembled. "Do you?"

Jareth paused, leaned closer until his lips were poised at her ear. "I always did." He closed his eyes. "I can hear your heart beating and its music to my ears." His breath tickled her ear and she shivered. "Sarah, Sarah…"

Taking a chance, she turned her face to the sound of her name. His lips gently sought hers. Her arms went about him, just as she'd placed her arms about him when he'd pulled her from the shaft of helping hands. A moment later his arms wound over her, protectively, possessively and gently. Sarah felt her lips warm under his, and knew this was what she'd been saving herself for. This was the reason no young man of her acquaintance could measure up. This was why she'd refused the unwanted attentions of suitors.

Jareth lifted his face from hers, smiled and whispered. "Welcome home, my darling." Once more he lowered his lips to hers.

--

Hoggle had been checking on the progress that Sir Didymus was making in herding the demon and his followers toward the castle. He noticed Katie sitting along on the steps of the dais, and he began to look about for Sarah and the missing King. "Where did they go?" he grumbled under his breath.

Katie watched as the little man got angrier at the missing couple. "Hoggle?" she called to him. He moved toward her. "I think they are having a quite little reunion…. I think they have unfinished business."

Hoggle looked at the arched way that Sarah had left by the last time she was here. "He took her up there?"

"No," Katie said quietly. "She went first and he followed later."

The little gardener looked up the stair way, recalling her parting words. "If you needs us…" he murmured before turning to Katie. "You knows about them?"

"Not as much as I'd like to know," Katie confessed. "But just from watching the two of them, I'd say… it's complicated."

"Whoooo ha!" scoffed the little man nearly dance. "You have no idea…"

--

Jareth keep himself in close check, romancing the girl was one thing, over powering her and devouring her would be another. He ended the long sweet kiss, but didn't release her from his embrace. "I knew you'd return to the scene of the crime…" he teased.

"Crime?" the defiant chin rose, "I'm not the one who goes around stealing babies."

Instead of the angry response she'd expected, Jareth snorted, "No, you just wish them away…"

"I didn't mean it and you know it!" she struggled now in his firm embrace.

"What's said is said," he teased. In the struggle she managed to turn, putting her back to his chest. Now he had one hand at her waist and one sliding up toward her breast. It came to rest on the soft fleshy mound puffing up out of the bodice. "My how my little adversary has grown," he growled into her ear. "No longer too young…" he teased.

"Too young," she stopped struggling. "Too young for what, pray tell?"

"To keep," he breathed in her ear; his voice had dropped several octaves. "To keep," his hand moved over her possessively. "And keep you I shall…"


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11. Claims to be honored **

_**"What's said is said," he teased. In the struggle she managed to turn, putting her back to his chest. Now he had one hand at her waist and one sliding up toward her breast. It came to rest on the soft fleshy mound puffing up out of the bodice. "My how my little adversary has grown," he growled into her ear. "No longer too young…" he teased.**_

_**"Too young," she stopped struggling. "Too young for what, pray tell?"**_

_**"To keep," he breathed in her ear; his voice had dropped several octaves. "To keep," his hand moved over her possessively. "And keep you I shall…"**_

He heard her breath catch, felt the tremor that raced though her, took her ear lobe into his teeth, and tugged. "You're mine…"

Sarah moaned softly. "That's not fair," her voice broke.

"Love seldom is," Jareth warned as he turned her to face him. "I'd move the universe for you." He said with every bit of conviction he could, wanting her to understand.

"I believe you," the girl whispered, a hint of sadness in her voice. "Jareth, this is not possible."

"Of course it is," he argued softly, unwilling to give her up a second time. "You're here…"

"Not to stay," she pulled away from him. "I can't…not now." Leaning on the wall she felt her world crashing about her. "I'm grown, but not entirely… and I'm not ready…."

"Give me one ray of hope," he begged. "Tell me there's a chance for us…"

"I'll not deny that I feel something… for you." She said softly. "But Jareth, I'm mortal, how can I be sure it's not some Fae trick on your part?"

He blinked, having never considered that argument. "I swear by all that's holy," he gasped in shock. "I would never use such trickery…."

"The enchanted ball," she reminded him, thinking she'd caught him in a deception.

"That was as much your doing as mine," he said firmly. "I never intended it to become a … decoration of love, but it that's the way it turned out… don't deny me again," he beseeched her gently. "I can not bare it if you demand to be sent back." He touched her face with his gloved hand. "I've sung Fae song to you, I've held you in my arms…and now, I've tasted your sweet lips. Don't deny me again."

Placing her hand over his at her cheek she looked at him, "I'm still a child," she confessed gently.

"I don't see a child," he whispered. "I see a woman."

"Look again," she coached sweetly. "Look with your eyes, not your heart. I've a bit more growing up to do." She turned toward the archway that she knew was an exit, and not yet another path to another level.

"I love you," he said before she reached the doorway.

Sarah paused, without looking back she said softly. "I love you too." Slowly she moved out of the room.

--

Josh snarled and spat at the goblins that were closing in. He didn't like being the hunted at all, he preferred to be the hunter instead.

David had fallen behind, and was now wrapped in a gigantic web of jute. He was dangling from the rod that was being towed on a strange little cart with a crane. He was shouting and begging to be set free, making promises that there was no way he could keep. The goblins ignored his pleas and carried him toward the castle.

Bill sat miserably on the edge of the bog, covered in smelly goo. Wondering why he had ever listened to Josh and David. He was sure now that Thomas was right; they should have left Sarah Williams alone. He was near tears when he heard sounds behind him only to find goblins placing fingers over their noses to keep out his stench. The tears came.

--

Jareth stayed in the stair room for a few moments, allowing Sarah to re-enter the throne room on her own. He fought the urge to pout, to stomp and to chase after her. Over and over he replayed the conversation in his mind, then raising the orb he replayed it as if he were viewing a video. She had not said no, she had not said she would never be with him, she had said she was not ready. And while she'd not given him encouragement, she'd not denied him. A sense of peace filled the King. Sarah may not be ready just now, but someday the young woman would make a wise and loving Queen, he was sure of it now.

--

Sarah moved into the throne room with her head held high, and her shoulders square. Hoggle was the first to see her, and his face held a smirk seeing her enter alone. She moved past him, toward the window. When Jareth entered the goblins held their breath to see what mood he was in.

"Hogs teeth, stop looking so pleased," warned the King as he walked past him over to where Sarah stood looking out the window. He placed his hands on her shoulders, comfortingly. "We have forever," he whispered to her. "I can wait."

Sarah looked over her shoulder, "Thank you."

He moved away and back to his throne, not wishing to crowd the girl. Nor did he wish to push her. "Our unwanted guests are about to arrive," he warned the goblins in the room. "Let us make them welcome." After he settled himself he called softly. "Ladies, if you'd join me, please." He motioned for Sarah and Katie to be seated at his feet. The girls smiled at each other, and took their places.

A roar filled the hall of entry to the palace, Goblins scurried about the room. A group of armed goblins filed in front of the girls, acting as a barrier between them and the hideous creature that entered the throne room bounding toward the girls with teeth bared and eyes shooting fire. Neither Sarah, nor Katie even flinched.

Jareth cleared his throat, "What do you think you're doing?" He demanded once he had Josh's attention.

Slowly the demon receded and the glamour was once more in place. Josh looked down at his ragged garments and released a disgusted grunt. He looked at the man seated in the throne, spitting as he spoke. "Goblin King," he snarled darkly. "You have something of mine!"

"Really?" Mocked the Fae lightly. "Do tell."

Josh pointed to Sarah. "That is mine," he declared.

"I don't think so," Jareth sighed.

"I hunted her down, and she belongs to me," Josh advanced, intending to take Sarah by force. He was held back by the goblins standing in front of the girls. "By rights that mortal is mine. Hand her over…."

"No," Jareth said calmly.

"You are denying me my claim?" Josh roared, thinking he could belittle the Fae. "In spite of the treaties?"

"One," Jareth held up a gloved finger. "You broke treaty when you stormed into my Kingdom…Two," a second finger went up. "You knew damn well you were in violation! And Three," up another finger went. "There are prior claims on the girl in question."

Josh raised his brow, "What prior claims? Whose?"

Leaning as far as he could Jareth draped his arms over the girl. "Mine." Sarah leaned back into the caress. "This girl is mine."

"I don't believe it," Josh roared.

Hoggle snorted, not agreeing with the demon, but disgusted with the way Sarah was allowing the King to hang on her. "I think I liked it better when he threatened the bog." He muttered.

Josh stomped his foot, sullenly. "How long has she been under your protection? What proofs have you that she belongs to you?"

Knowing a picture was worth a thousand words, Jareth placed one hand under Sarah's chin, turned her face and kissed her tenderly, and Sarah returned the kiss in kind. Hoggle groaned and a dozen or so Goblins mimicked the King and his girl.

Josh roared, "No! There was no marking, no nothing to say she was under protection."

Looking up from Sarah, Jareth laughed lightly. "You didn't look very hard, now did you, demon boy?" Unhurried, Jareth sat back in his massive throne. "Did you even take the time to really look at this young woman, or did her defiance just get your goat?"

The Demon glared at the Goblin King. "I saw no marking, and I hunted her down…."

"You ran her vehicle off the road and forced her to drive into a city dump," corrected the King.

"Her world belongs to they who are strong enough to take what they want," spat the demon boy.

Pity showed in the face of the Goblin King. "I have no idea of who you belong to, but they did a very shoddy job of educating you. Man and its world does not belong to your ilk… not yet…. Perhaps never, if there are more like my Sarah about."

"Your Sarah?" Josh challenged coarsely. "She's a tease and a bitch."

Sarah looked over at Jareth who was looking at her with a bit of a haughty smirk. "Part of her charm," Jareth said teasingly. "I do believe the girl told you she was not interested in you, did she not?"

"She's but a mortal wench," growled the half demon. "Her desires are not of importance."

"That's where you're wrong," the Goblin King stood up. "If her desires were not of importance, you foolish child, you would not be here… in my kingdom, being judged."

Josh growled, "Give the wench to me, Goblin King… you can have no use of a mortal… you are Fae, and she is but a dalliance."

The goblins surrounding the room gasped in shock and dismay at the accusation of the demon. Jareth sighed, "Miss Williams may be many things, but a dalliance is not one of them."

"I have claim," demanded the angry demon. "I demand that you turn the mortal over to me, or I will… bring claim against you before your precious Seelie court!"

Sarah looked up at the King, wondering if he were willing to surrender her to the demon to prevent the court being dragged into it. His face was amused at the threat, and she knew that Jareth would not hand her or Katie over.

"How do you intend to do that?" Jareth scoffed. "You are prisoners here…you and your mortal cohorts," The King looked at David who was looking terrified. "One here, one in the bog, and the rest have deserted you."

Josh howled, the glamour slipping sideways. "By the law of the hunt she belongs to me, and I demand that you hand her over."

"I would not hand her over even if she were not already claimed." Jareth stated firmly. "The laws of the hunt are clear, and you did not follow them. I have no reason to turn the young woman over to you for abuse. She does not want you, and that's enough for me." Watching the demon, Jareth knew the boy was about to do something stupid. "I wouldn't do that if I were you!" he warned.

Josh's right hand filled with fire, once the ball had formed he hurled it toward the place where Sarah sat, thinking that if the King would not turn her over, he'd just destroy her where she sat. The fireball exploded into thousands of fragments. Josh's face stared in disbelief; he screamed and began a rant.

The chamber of the Goblin King's throne room filled with a strange sound. A roaring, could be heard as a opening appeared in the floor beneath the demon. Josh vanished into the abyss. A moment later, the place where he stood was once more solid. The only visible evidence to the demon having been there was the mortal who was screaming and held back by goblins. David's face was a mask of horror.

"What did you do to him?" the mortal boy shouted at the King.

"I didn't do anything to him," Jareth stated as he motioned the goblin guards to bring the mortal forward. "He broke one law too many, and his own kind have claimed him."

David cringed, thinking of what Josh really was, he looked up at the King. "Are you going to send me there as well?"

Sarah looked at the King, wondering if she could speak on behalf of the misled boys. But the look on Jareth's face told her this was his game board, not hers.

Jareth studied the young man with intent. "By rights I could, and perhaps I should… but no, I'm not sending you to the fires of hell." He sighed again. "I imagine you'll send yourself there… You were far too quick to follow the likes of this demon," Jareth's face softened. "However, I can offer you one moment of mercy. I am sending you back to your world, minus the memory of this place, and of this night."

David tried not to be ungrateful. "And Bill?" he asked softly. "He fell in to this really stinky water…"

Sarah saw the corner of Jareth's mouth go up in a smirk. "I will make it as if it never happened." Jareth promised. He waved his hand and the boy vanished. Sarah knew that the boy who'd fallen in the bog had vanished as well.

"Prior claim?" She asked in a tight voice, having held back as long as she could.

"Indeed." Jareth said smiling down at her.

Standing up the girl placed her hands on her hips. "You don't own me!"

Jareth laughed. "No more than you owe me," he teased. The smile slowly began to fade, and he looked at her with sad eyes. "It's time for this little visit to end, my dear." He advised.

Sarah looked about at the faces watching them. "Yes, I suppose it is."

Extending his hands to her, Jareth sighed deeply. "Claim or no claim," he murmured. "You have some growing up to do." He felt a tingle as her fingers tightened in his. "We will be here… waiting…" He promised tenderly.

"Thank you for being here," Sarah whispered.

"You're welcome, my dear." Jareth raised one hand, kissed it lightly, before releasing her hands. He turned to Hoggle. "Take them back to the entrance of the junkyard." He looked at Sarah. "The way back,"

"I know," she said turning and following the Dwarf with Katie in toe.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12. Fooled Heart**

The two girls followed the dwarf into the junkyard, just beyond the goblin gates. Katie had kept silent ever since they had left the throne room and the King behind. Her face a stony mask, she looked only ahead as they moved closer to where the Goblin Kingdom and the mortal realm were extended into one another. Some things were hard to express, even between friends, and Katie was having difficulties with this exit.

Hoggle was far too smug for Sarah's liking, but she held her tongue and her temper as long as she could. As the trio came closer to the exact center of the joining point, Sarah finally lost it. "Hoggle shut up!" she barked at her long time friend. "I've had it!"

"What?" he asked looking totally surprised by her response to his quips and wisecracks at the king's expense. "What did I say?"

"Have you any idea of what he's going through?" Demanded the girl hotly as she stood between the worlds; "He's letting me go, Hoggle… He's letting me go."

The dwarf flinched and cowered. "Sarah, why are you angry with me?"

Katie looked at Sarah's face. "Tell him," she urged. "Tell him why you're angry."

"I love you Hoggle," Sarah said softly. "But I love Jareth as well… and I hate that you think you're free to say unkind things about him, or that I would agree with you."

Hoggle, shocked and dismayed pulled away from the girl. "You don't know what you're saying," he shook his head. "Have you forgotten who he is? What he did to you?"

"No," she said sadly. "I know what he did… but I know what I did as well." She turned and took hold of Katie's hand. "Goodbye Hoggle," she huffed. "I wish we were in our own world right now," her voice broke as she spoke the words.

Katie felt the ground tremor and quake a bit, looking over her shoulder she saw the portal close and the Goblin Realm fade into it's own dimension. Katie had witnessed what few mortals in this modern age had ever seen, and she could tell no one about it. She looked at Sarah's hand as it left hers; the older girl was shaken and trembling. "How long do you think we were gone?" Katie asked wondering out loud.

Pulling herself together, Sarah looked at the junkyard and listened to the quiet of the night. "I'm not sure, but the clock in my car should give us a clue." She looked about the city dump with its piles and got her bearings. "That way over there," Sarah pointed toward what looked like a wall. "That's the gateway, and my car should be there."

The car was exactly where the boys had forced Sarah to park, the only thing missing were her antagonist. A flash of light blinded the girls for a moment as they approached the car and a voice barked at them.

"Who are you and what do you want here?"

Sarah shielded her eyes and caught a glimpse of the uniform, "Are you the guard here?" she asked politely.

"I'll do the questioning," he barked again. "What's your business here so late at night?"

"We were on a scavenger hunt," Sarah said coolly. "We were unaware that the town hired a fulltime guard, or I'd have asked permission before we entered the dump sir."

The guard looked at the girls, "You got ID's?" he demanded. Sarah nodded, and pulled her student ID from the pouch on her belt. Katie did the same and they both handed them to the man. He looked at their outlandish costumes and huffed something under his breath about scandalous garments and his day. He looked at the cards then handed them back. "You kids and your scavenger hunts. You can't just come rummaging in here any time you like any more!" he bellowed.

"No sir," the girls appeared contrite, and remained polite.

He sniffed, looked at Sarah's car and shook his head. "I'm letting you two off with a warning; I had to send four young scaly wags off to Juvenile Hall this evening. Go home, and grow up." He ordered.

"Yes sir," Sarah said softly, she opened her car door and motioned for Katie to get in. Once out of the gate of the city dump both girls took a deep breath.

Katie frowned. "Juvenile Hall? He said he sent four boys there this evening?" She counted on her fingers.

"Josh is no longer part of this plane, and everyone but us will have forgotten him." Sarah said understanding the girl's confusion. "Jareth must have altered the reality frame for everyone."

"He can do that?" Katie asked amazed.

"I'm not really sure…" Sarah confessed. "I'm not sure just what he can and can not do."

"Wow, that's some…" Katie frowned not sure what title to give to the King. "King you've got there."

"Yes," Sarah agreed. "He sure is." She drove the rest of the distance to their homes in silence. There was a lot she was going to have to explain to Katie, but now didn't seem like the best of times to be doing that.

Robert and Karen were sitting on the front porch, enjoying the cool evening and the songs of the nightingale that had made a home in their front yard tree. Sarah's father waved at the girls as the alighted from the car. "How was the dance?" he called to them.

"Interesting," Sarah said for both of them.

Karen snickered, "I'll bet." She snuggled into Robert's arm as they swung on the porch swing. "Oh Margie called to thank you for turning the crown over to her."

Sarah wondered quietly how much of the reality of this night was now real. "She deserved to be Queen… I never wanted to be homecoming Queen."

Puffing on his pipe, Robert shrugged. "It's an honor to be voted Queen, Sarah. I don't understand why you rejected it."

Katie looked at Sarah, she too needed to hear why her friend was so adamant against being crowned Queen. Sarah placed one foot up on a step and rested her weight on her thigh. "Let's just say, this is not the Kingdom I cared to be crowned in."

Karen snickered again, "Not enough dragons or demons to suit you?"

"One demon too many," quipped the green eyed girl. "But that's another story." She looked over at Katie. "I'll call you tomorrow; we'll take the boys to the park…"

Katie nodded and waved good night before dashing down the block to her own home.

Sarah said good night to her father and stepmother before going up the winding stair case that led to the second level of the old Victorian house. She smiled as she passed under the archway that led to the hall her bedroom was off. She could hear the soft sounds of the little record player that Karen used to put Toby to sleep. He had taken to needing white noise to settle in. A soft lullaby was playing and there was a peaceful little snore as well. The teen girl listened for a moment before opening her own door and entering her room.

Sarah closed the door and switched on her light. How much her room had changed since that night so long ago. Gone were the childish bedspread and the dragon pillow that had graced her bed. Gone was the toys and books that had been spread over her desk. Now the books were in a white wood bookshelf that her father had ordered upon her request. Gone were the pictures that had been plastered to her mirror, and her vanity was cleared of all the brick-a-brack. Her stuffed toys had long ago been put aside, and Lancelot was safely tucked into Toby's arms in his room. The posters had been replaced by a lovely watercolor print of a bridge over a lily filled pond.

This was the room of a young woman. She sat down on the bed, now covered with a bedspread that matched the bright orange curtain that hung from the crown cornice above. It was the same room she'd slept in for years, and yet at this moment it seemed so foreign to her. Her mind was drawn to another room, in another Kingdom.

Sarah stood up and began to remove the garments she'd chosen so carefully for this evening's performance. That's all it was in her mind, a performance. Josh was the one who took it a step too far. And now he was paying the price for his folly. She sighed, removed her boots, tossed them aside and went to the bathroom to finish undressing. Moments later she emerged from the bath, dressed in a long silky nightgown and robe. She picked up her brush and began to work out the hair spray from her long hair. Soon her long hair was as it always was a smooth shiny curtain of chocolate.

Placing her brush on the table, she turned off the light, pulled back the blanket and slipped into her bed. The day's adventure was over; she had one...Yet again. Katie was safe, the boys were punished and she was… home. Sarah closed her eyes, and listened to the soft music that filtered into her room from her brother's room. The music lulled her to sleep, deeper and deeper and deeper.

She didn't see the window open, didn't see the owl flutter in and land. She didn't hear the soft foot falls or feel the hand that stroked her hair. Somewhere she was dancing on and over a cloud and a voice was singing to her.

_**There's such a fooled heart  
Beating so fast in search of new dreams  
A love that will last within your heart  
Ill place the moon within your heart**_

As the pain sweeps through  
Makes no sense for you  
Every thrill has gone  
Wasn't too much fun at all  
But Ill be there for you-oo-oo  
As the world falls down

Sarah smiled and dreamed on.

--

Author's note:

And this is the end of this tale… who knows where it will lead?


End file.
